The Sake Inquisitions
by panda-tiney
Summary: Roses are red, violets are blue. True love is sweet, but leaving's fun too. And they say 10 year reunions are boring! A love story about redemption with a .45 caliber twist.
1. Guess Who Just Got Back Today

I don't want you thinking I'm unhappy  
What is closer to the truth, that if I lived till I was 102  
I just don't think I'll ever get over you  
I'm no longer moved to drink strong whisky, 'cause I shook the hand of time and I knew that if I lived till I could no longer climb my stairs  
I just don't think I'll ever get over you  
Your face it dances and it haunts me, Your laughter's still ringing in my ears, I still find pieces of your presence here. Even after all these years. But I don't want you thinking I don't get asked to dinner 'Cause I'm here to say that I sometimes do  
Even though I may soon feel the touch of love  
I just don't think I'll ever get over you

Colin Hay "I Just Don't Think I'll Get Over You"

* * *

I had never been accused of being overly sentimental. Nor had I ever been accused of being a cry baby, too emotional, or anything past a stupid jerk or lover boy. That really doesn't leave much for me, does it? And I'm sitting here, on a bed that is too hard, and in a hotel room I don't recognize, and I'm wondering: how did I fuck up this bad?

I'm rooming with a guy that I suppose is my partner at the office, except I don't have an office. What I'm saying is I don't have an office but we work together. He's probably, basically, my best friend. Well, he's one of the only friends I have that doesn't want my body receipt or my babies. I look over at him, staring idly in the mirror, fixing his collar, and wonder just what is going on in his mind. I wonder why he came all the way here, left his life behind, just so I could come back. Sure, it's probably not permanent, but it's so damn tough to decide what is.

He doesn't even know why I object. Well, not the whole picture. He thinks this is a good idea, and shot down every one of my objections. I suppose it might be the sake we bought, and drank in a few minutes, talking, but I think he deserves to know why he trekked halfway across the world. He came to a town he knew all too well and to people who wanted nothing more than his memory erased from their minds. Yet, he returned.

I clear my throat and he turns smirking, waiting for me to speak. I hiccup for the thousandth time this week and then slowly say, "You wanna know why I didn't wanna come back?"

He turns his whole body in anticipation and waits eagerly, "Of course, but don't take too long. I think I'll go for a walk later today and I want the stores still open," he stares straight into my eyes, "I'd really like to know why the hell you didn't want to come back. It'll be the social event of the season! You're gonna thank me for drugging you and putting you on that plane with me."

I nodded, "I'm tellin' ya the story, but not all of it."

"Why not?" He asked, more intrigued than ever.

I gulp down the bulge in my throat, turn around and closed my eyes, "'Cause I'm still groggy," I said calmly. Then my eyes lit up and I raised my voice, "**from the drugs!**"

He rolled his eyes and grinned again, "Don't be such a complainer."

Such a complainer? To get me on that oh-so-fateful plane trip he slipped a little something into my club soda after I drove him to the airport. Shows what you get for being a good friend. I guess I can't say I didn't think the thought was out of his mind, but I thought he remembered what I did for a living. Then again, he did the exact same thing.

"And plus, there's no way I'd get it out without doing something I'd regret," I stare down at the empty bottle in my hands and whisper, "I promised my self I'd never drink again."

"Oh Ranma," he cried lightly, "Stop being such a drama queen and tell me the damn story!"

I grinned.

He rolled his eyes and went on, "And I've seen you plastered many a time. So quit acting like a wuss or I'll kick yer ass!"

He couldn't kick my ass if it were the size of Japan, which by the way it is not; it is, in fact, quite nice, and I had to laugh at the threat. He chuckled too and I set to telling him.

"Well," I guessed, "I better start from the beginning," he nodded impatiently, "the Tendo family's only man, Akane's father, had just found he was receiving a large amount of money in an old friend's will and we were celebrating."

It was hard to muster up the strength to continue but I had started and knew what I was getting myself into. It tugged at something in me and I didn't like the fact that it was inside and not my shirt sleeve being used as a harp string.

"So," he asked, ruffling his hand through his black hair to its jelled and fashioned tips, we were supposed to be inconspicuous, guarded men you noticed right away and forgot in a second. When I told him this he simply responded by telling me that he would never give up fashion for industry, "how exactly did the lucky man celebrate?"

I rolled my eyes knowingly, "The only way they knew how; with plenty of food and plenty of drinks."

He looked on confused, "they?"

* * *

It had been a bright day. I remember that clearly because, aside from the impact this day made on my life, my Pop had opened the windows nice and early and I woke up to the blistering pain of my retinas coming in direct contact with the sun.

I had gone for a run in the morning. I didn't know why, but something inside me was off, telling me there was going to be bad things coming. I immediately presumed Akane was cooking.

I've now learned never to presume again.

The day went by quickly. We had graduated days earlier, the dance looming over me, and things were just as they always had been. Kasumi cooked, Nabiki laundered, and Akane fought (with me usually). It still makes me smile how that worked.

That night Soun had barged in while me, Akane, and Nabiki were having a small fight over finances. As in we owed her money, and she had too much film. I said no and so did Akane, but that was never a problem for Nabiki Tendo.

We all stopped to stare at the man, panting and out of breath (probably for the first time in a while), spitting out illiterate mumbling while he caught his breath. As he started to collect himself my Pop ran in, also panting but not as much, and stood blocking the other half of the doorway with his huge mass.

"Hey Pop, what's goin' on, finally see your toes?"

I sniggered at my own joke and he frowned.

"Shut up Boy, you're in the presence of a rich man!" He yelled at me, pointing at Soun.

I smirked.

"Grinnin', Boy? He just got an inheritance worth millions!" Pop bellowed in my direction, showing where I got my infamous smirk.

It looked better on me.

The rest of the conversation was pointless and lasted until Soun came from the other room with tons of sake. Where he had been hiding these reserves of sake, I did not know and did not care. I was a cheap drunk and usually embarrassed myself.

They told us to toast. Told us it was bad luck if we didn't. So we did.

Me and Akane finally had something in common: our cheap drunkenness. After a few shots we were plastered and as Nabiki braided Kasumi's hair whilst giggling, Mr. Tendo and my Pop watched the T.V. and laughed about the good ol' days, Akane and I were sitting across from each other in the kitchen. I had followed her in there, complaining about her cooking, and she had sat on the floor, refusing to go to the other room. I wondered why, but I should have left then.

She bobbed her head and retained eye contact with me through half lidded eyes. I was just as drunk and so I guess I was nodding too. She slurred and smiled.

"Ranma, I've gotta tell you something, it's been on my chest," she stared at her chest and laughed, "not much there, but it is!"

I nodded, staring and then looking back up at her eyes. She didn't notice, but then again, neither did I.

I was nearly comatose by now.

I nodded even more, signaling her to tell me.

She leaned in very close, still bobbing, smelling of ginger. She tried to keep staring me in the eyes, but gave up and stared down her nose into my ear.

"I'm in love with you Ranma Saotome, and there's nothing I can do about it."

She paused for a second, as if in deep thought.

I didn't notice. I was too amazed by the brilliant color of her hair and the smell: that smell, her smell.

She continued, clearing her throat majestically before hand, "And," she spoke.

I could picture her lips moving by my ear.

She whispered, "I'm feeling a bit dizzy."

I fell back laughing and she just sat there next to me on the floor.

I sat up again, saw her sad and tried to cheer her up. "Don't worry Akane; I still love you, even if you are dizzy."

She turned to me then and grinned, "We are so drunk."

I looked back shocked, "No we ain't, shuddup, you're ruinin' my good name."

She giggled and threw her head back, it was beautiful. "You don't have a good name!"

I huffed. "Well if I did it'd be spoiled, thanks for nothin' Akane."

She stopped at this and came closer, looking me right in the eyes, pushing herself forward and pressing her lips to mine, searching for a reaction.

It was a lottery and she got surprise. She released from me and threw her hair back and giggled again, "I'm so gonna regret this tomorrow morning."

I nodded, sedated for once.

She sat there, head down and staring up at me with those piercing eyes.

There was a long pause.

"So do ya wanna go to that dance thing with me tomorrow?"

"Naw," she swayed, "I'm thinking of going with Kuno."

My eyes lit up and showed just how drunk I was. "But, but he's a . . . he's a . . . he's a Kuno!"

"Well, in that case, I suppose," She lingered, "I'll _guess_ go with you."

I outwardly sighed with relief, which makes me blush with embarrassment towards stupidity of my younger years.

I finally looked back into her piercers and she smirked.

Just like me.

* * *

He looked on, waiting for the end, "And the next morning?"

I shrugged. He looked put off and callous. I loved it when he was like that.

He rolled his eyes, but did not persist because he knew I am the King of worming my way out of answers. It made me good at what I did so he accepted it.

Sucker.

Too bad for him, he was curiosity's bitch, and finally gave in.

"C'mon Ranma, the story makes no sense."

He put his hands on his hip and huffed; the obvious sign of a trained warrior.

It made perfect sense to me.

"Makes perfect sense to me."

He pounced nearer to me, as if he'd jut caught me slip up.

Shows him, I never slip up. And if I do, I cover it up very, very well.

He lifted a finger at me and wagged it a bit in triumph. "Ah, but on the plane that was the night of our prom!"

He looked like a taller, less pixilated version of Megaman, striking a pose, with his fanatic hair and awkward bravado.

"Remember what I was wearing on the plane?"

He thought for a second and then his finger faltered a bit. "A tux."

I grinned, "Give ya a clue: I didn't dress up for _you_."

He threw his finger down, pulled his tight fitted black t-shirt over his denim jeans and rolled around on his heels in the other direction. "Cheeky bastard."

"I'm here to please."

See how nice I am at getting out of answering questions? I didn't tell the goof anything about the day I got on the first plane I had ever been on by myself. Thinking back, it may have been the first time ever.

I was still sitting on the bed, just filled with more drinks then I really should be before noon.

He was sitting in the middle of his, adjacent to mine, parted by a small night stand. He checked his watch and tapped the top.

"So, I'm giving up smoking."

Great conversation starter.

"Wanna join me? You could give up young girls' hearts."

I still said nothing.

Jin Mako, the name he did not usually go by in public, was an enigma. An amazing sort of man, he had seen a lot and been through a lot and yet, he remained positive. I told him once it was his positive upbringing and he snorted. I met him on the plane out of our town. The thought that someone from my class, someone I did not know at all, would be sitting next to me, intrigued me. We began to talk and realized we were both running from demons we'd really rather not face running from alone. So we got off the plane, joined the army, and after that went into being civilians . . . of sorts. The people who hire us know us as a pair, not just individuals. Usually one of us takes care of the business, but if it's an important job, or a boring week for that matter, one would tag along with the other.

Physically, he has black hair and brilliant green eyes; I tell him they're dangerous because they are obvious. Then he tells me my eyes are sissy blue and we fight; thus is man's way. He has a great body, which I take partial credit for creating, teaching him much of what I knew. I liked being able to teach something I was good at to someone who rocked at it. He taught me about the basics of guns and armor. He taught me a little sword fighting too; he had taken fencing, which I didn't think was real fighting. When I voiced my opinion on this, he fenced me in the eye.

He's shorter than me, which makes me grin and makes him call me a giant. I don't mind, I like to be taller than the girls I go out with. He's always saying I don't go out with girls, I get acquainted.

When I was younger I was embarrassed about these things, wanted nothing of it, for the most part, and would rather fight a bear than slow dance with a babe. Now, I respect my amazing talents at picking up women and making them for get their morals in exchange for, well, the best acquaintance of their life.

"You've given up smokin' twenty-two times, ya sayin' this time's gonna be different?" I asked.

He'd probably give up by tomorrow and start seeing little cigarettes dancing around his head.

Truth was that I wanted him to quit, thought it was horrible what he was doing to his body, seeing as he had to run a lot in this business. I had weaned him off of them almost completely and so I thought I deserved to provoke him a little bit, it always seemed to work.

"Nope," he shook his head and his hair rattled, "I'm leaving them right on this table."

He whipped out a pack of Du Maurier and slapped it on the nightstand, eyeing it right when it was extricated from his body.

The room was pretty bare; it was just the night stand, two beds, a bathroom in the back, a kitchenette that was not highly technological, and a TV on a wooden chest against the wall facing the beds' bottom ends.

Jin stared at the walls, "This wall paper sucks. I mean really, does there have to be humungous, rotting flower prints everywhere we stay?"

He huffed again and I got the feeling the walls would be painted trendy colors when I returned. Attacked by the trendy monster from the black lagoon; your sock with sandals will never be safe again!

'This is just 'til the penthouse suite's ready. Believe me; I want outta here just as much as the next guy."

I really did, rundown places meant run down people who would try to steal my sweet ass Rolex.

I say try because if they did they'd never succeed. If they did I'd be a failure in my profession. Jin and I were at the top of the tier so I highly doubt that. See, we had a rarified job market, a growing industry with tough competition and competitive prices.

We were professional killers.

Don't worry, we don't just shoot any ol' people, usually it was someone you'd use your one-free-kill on anyway.

I don't like thinking about myself as what I do. If I was a meat grinder I could be a vegetarian. Although, I see that as being very hard to pull off.

Jin changed the subject, yawning and kicking his legs over the bed and into his unpacked sneakers. He squished them in and stared off at the ceiling. "I'm going for a walk, want anything?"

I shook my head. Something about the outside frightened me. Well, not frightened, just made me tense.

I warned him, instincts had helped me a lot in the past. "Watch your back, I got a feeling."

He nodded and walked to his suitcase, open in one corner of the closet. He flipped around with a red bomber jacket. "Are you gonna hole yourself up in here until the reunion?"

I hated the fact that he made me come here, going to a ten year reunion is bad enough, but going with the pasts that we had was just plain stupid.

"We're here to make a hit."

I was here to make the hit not go to the stupid party. I probably wasn't even going to go anyway. It was sort of a dumb idea anyway. So what, we get to see a bunch of pictures of some guy's kids or some chick's new promotion? None of that meant anything to me.

Jin pulled the jacket over one muscular arm, and then the other. He grinned devilishly, "Sure you're not here for Akane?"

I had tried to stop that sudden impulse to jump when I heard her name and had pretty much mastered the skill, but Jin knew me, when my guard was down, and what to say.

I coughed and pounded on my throat, "Uh," I tried to cover, "got a cold comin' on."

"Dude," he told me, one hand on the door, "it's the summer. And please, if you go out; try to wear something not black!"

As he sauntered out the door I countered, "You can have colds in the summer too! They can be even worse!"

Smooth move Ranma Saotome, you dork.

I checked the table and smiled. The pack of smokes was gone.

* * *

A/N: So, yes, this is the first chapter; the first of many, hopefully. Can you guess what I got my idea from? It's an awesome movie. Anyway, I'm thinking either each chapter will be Ranma narrating, or I'll switch between Ranma, Akane, or Jin because there are three separate storylines going on I suppose. Review my pretties and your little dogs too! 


	2. Them Wild Eyed Boys That Had Been Away

Still a little bit of your ghost your witness  
Still a little bit of your face I haven't kissed  
You step a little closer each day  
Still I can't say what's going on  
Stones taught me to fly  
Love taught me to lie  
Life taught me to die  
So it's not hard to fall  
When you float like a cannonball

"Cannonball" by Damien Rice

* * *

Today was not a good day. For one, my hair looked like a racoon had put up camp in it. For two, my new job sucked ass. When Nabiki promised the job I thought I'd be behind a desk, not a casket. I am a greeter. Not at Wal-Mart, not at Staples, but at Marvin's Mortuary for the Dead. What other kind of mortuary is there? 

Everyone is scary here. There's the owner, Creepy Marv, who has a fascination with portraits. He's asked to paint me before and I declined because he's creepy. His reply was simply "One day you'll be desperate enough and then I'll be there!"

If I get that desperate I'll shoot myself in the foot. No one would want a portrait of that . . . except maybe Creepy Marv.

He does most of the business handlings, and there's really only the make up man and the janitor/handyman Yo. Yo is a dead ringer for the crypt keeper and talks just as eerily. Sometimes I'll have to stay over time and help lock up if Marv – how unsafe is that, I'm new I could steal pens – is off gallivanting and I'll hear him squeaking by, talking to himself. He's probably talking to the infamous "Ghost of the Past" that came here and robbers stole from his body.

I've always thought it's a bad idea to spread a story that franchises our bad security, but the public eat it up.

My father doesn't like that I work at a western-style funeral home, but money is nice. We've had the demand and so, I suppose, it was bound to happen sooner rather than later.

Tonight is an open casket, they always get the crowds. My feet are sore from the gorgeous four inch heels I'm wearing, but they're turquoise sling backs and have been through a lot with me. Well, actually I got them last week as a me-present for catching my boyfriend with my sort of, but definitely not anymore, friend Kara sharing secrets in his apartment. So, they've been through that with me and they'll be with me for the next two weeks while I have fifty bucks in my account because these puppies were expensive. That'll be an experience too, so really, they're old friends now.

This morning I put on a deep cut v-neck silk white halter top with a flowy, too-the-knee turquoise skirt that I adore and matches my new favourite shoes. Probably not the best work attire but damn if I didn't look hot.

I know they'll just be old people here tonight and I'll only get hit on by Creepy Marv, but at least I feel sexy, which is very important after your no good boyfriend cheats on you.

I took my post by the door and greeted the slow moving guests as they piled in. Old men in suits with big coats, old woman in hats I don't remember ever being popular; this job has its perks, these people can be adorable and kind.

An old woman hobbled by and stopped in front of me. She was wearing a purple dress with a matching hat and white lace lining it, drooping down the sides. She looked like a bee keeper. She stood about four foot seven and as she poked her head up to glare at me I inwardly sighed. I can just tell what comes next some times.

"Akane Tendo? That you, Akane Tendo?" The old woman crooned, leading with her nose, scrutinizing me. She looked like she was looking for a contact on my face.

"Yes, that's me, how are you? I love your hat." Oh look at me, such a wonder host.

She had nothing in her hands so they sat at chest level, hovering for something to poke at. "Why aren't you married? Your sister has a fine husband."

"Which one?" I asked stalely.

Okay, not as good hostess behaviour, but I get this question so often I want to _shoot_ something! So what, both my sisters have husbands. Nabiki probably sees hers once a month; she's always off travelling and on business trips. I'm pretty sure they're married for some secret marriage-tax break.

Kasumi has a wonderful husband though. Tofu and Kasumi are living with four adorable kids. I admit, they're not always adorable, but they do take after their parents which is one heck of a positive gene pool!

"Both." She sneered. "Good strong marriages, good strong girls. Why aren't you married, then?"

She stared at me as if I had the plagued.

I spoke through gritted teeth, smiling whilst ringing the fringe of my skirt. "Oh I don't know, I suppose all the good men are taken."

"Not all of them." A voice behind her said. A male voice.

I smirked, still staring at the woman, she stared back. Cockiness, something me and the evil witch both loved to sneer at.

"Don't think there are just frogs left, Prince Charming?" I asked, in my snootiest, we-were-talking voice.

My jaw literally dropped and my eyes bugged out. Standing behind the witch was a taller, stronger, leaner version of Ranma Saotome; the Ranma Saotome that stood me up on prom night and vanished forever. The **same **Ranma Saotome that had been my arranged-since-birth fiancé.

Screw the good hostess thing, I was gonna maul his ass! I stepped forward, eyes gleaming. If this were a TV show, there would be little flames in my eyes and my ears would be smoke stacks.

"You slimy bas-" I started before he raised a finger, face emotionless, to my lips.

"Quiet please, the service is starting." He said, with the tiniest bit of mocking as everyone filed in.

Before I could say anything the old woman stepped on my exposed toes. I let out a shrill shriek of pain as she stepped down.

"Ow! What did you do that for?" I asked her, but when I looked up from inspecting that my big toe was still attached, the hall was empty. Everyone had piled into room and the doors had been steadily closed by Merv.

I stood alone in the eerily quiet hallway as the service continued in the next room.

I needed a seat and, more importantly, I needed a new job. This one wasn't one of those glamour things where you get to do something fun and meet famous people, but the pay isn't great. The pay sucked and I stared at dead people and got called a harlot by old woman all day. That was not a glamour job.

I moseyed over to the table to the side of the front hall, a picture of clouds on one side, and trees on the other. Very vague, very awe-inspiring, and very half price when Merv bought them. I didn't think anyone would hear me crying out here in pain, but just in case, I decided to take the pain and cringe.

I forced myself to sit down at the wooden chair in front of the table as big as a chess board and rest. I stared down and saw a big scrape across the top of my right foot! That evil old woman took off with half my foot! Okay, maybe I was being a little over zealous, but jeez, what did I do to her?

Once I inspected it thoroughly with my eyes I got the intense urge to poke it. The scratch was stinging and the urge was unbearable. My hand inched closer and I finally shut my eyes tight and prodded.

"Yow!" I yelped in pain.

When the hell was that a good idea!

I slowly opened my eyes to see my foot looking back at me with the same scratch: the poking was pointless. In front of them though, were very expensive looking leather shoes. Attached to very Armani-esque pants. I scrolled up very slowly and landed in the man's deep blue eyes.

"Hey stranger." He said, remnants of a laugh apparent from when I yowled.

My cheeks began to turn red with embarrassment.

Wait, he was Ranma Saotome. He stood me up on prom night. This selfish jerk didn't deserve to be able to walk! I was going to chop off his legs!

"You disgusting jerk!" I whispered harshly, venting through my hands because any higher and everyone in the place would hear. "What are you doing here?"

He grinned his famous grin and stuck his hands in his pockets. "Paying my respects. What's really interestin' is what you're doin' here."

He said it as a statement, but I knew it was a question.

I stared at the doors to the service. "How did you get through? I definitely would've heard you leave."

He stared at the surroundings. "Why would anyone wanna work here?"

"Are you insinuating that I have a boring job?" I asked, still in a harsh whisper, praying they would all put ear plugs on so I could scream at the top of my lungs and break his ear drums.

"No, I'm insinuatin' you've got a _creepy_ job." He said.

Okay, I admit, he had gotten me a little perturbed. How dare he strut back into my life and make fun of my creepy job! That was _my_ creepy job to complain and make fun of.

"Gee, this is a great conversation, but I've really got to go." I lied.

"Liar."

He flashed me an eye brow and the tips of his mouth curved up a bit. I gathered that now passed as a smile for Ranma the Handsome Robot.

"What?" I asked, knowing the answer.

He smirked and winked. "See ya later, babe."

And then he walked away. Out of my creepy work place that I really **did **want to quit from. It wasn't fun being the greeter at a funeral home.

The service opened a few minutes after he strolled out the front doors. I had watched him leave. How did he get me to let him go? Obviously, through telepathy or some sort of brainwashing.

Although, I must admit he was built like a castle; a bronzed, incredibly hot castle.

People waltzed out. They rushed in and yet, when my focus is on the crowd completely, they stroll.

I put on my hostess face and looked out for the witch. The old men and women nodded and smiled as they left the building and passed me. I politely muttered "thank you for coming" a few times and hunted through the crowd, not looking as gorgeous anymore, what with my scratch that was beginning to look strangely like a hickey.

Gossip travelled fast in this town. People are gonna think I've missed my evil ex Shaun so much I've been sucking my feet. Shaun was from the United Sates and came over here to learn all about the culture, got suckered into living over here and now pretends he never lived anywhere else. He's suck a dork, Kara can have him.

I spotted the hag and when she turned my way and we made eye contact, she tried to scuttle to the door. I stared hard at it and made a break for the exit, cutting past big hats and men laughing together loudly, toppling over a potted plant, but leaving it and emerging to trap the hag.

I made it to the door just as she scuttled close. Hah! Shows her!

I felt slightly uneven and stared down at my new favourite shoes. One of the heels had fallen out and, as I looked behind me, was sitting in the potted plant.

Oh this witch was going down.

"Why did you step on my foot before?" I asked with authority. "You know, I'm security here."

Her eyes widened and she clutched her hands together.

Okay so I lied, but this woman was mean so it was allowed.

She stooped in front of me, figuring she couldn't get past my mad security-guarding skills.

I waited impatiently, tapping the foot of my dead, turquoise shoe-baby.

"It's just that girls used to respect what they wore in my day, look at you, you look like a harlot!" She fumed at me motioning toward my boobs.

She had to be kidding. My skirt went to my knees; it was frigging longer than hers.

"You broke my shoe! I hope you pay for that." I told her in my best I-might-have-a-gun voice.

She made some shrill sound and Merv came in. Everyone else had left, not worrying about missing anything, knowing they'd hear about it tomorrow morning from someone.

"What's the problem Miss?" he asked, flirting with the old woman.

I almost gagged.

The old croon blushed and giggled.

Okay, now I'm really going to throw up. Who care's about vengeance, staying here would make me nauseous.

I grabbed my heel out of the plant, ran to the office and snatched my purse in record time, then ran out.

Before they could say a word I had lobbed out of the place, down the stairs and was half way to my car when I noticed something on the hood. A large, Ranma-shaped something.

I don't think he had heard me yet so I hid behind the nearest car, whipped out my key ring and pressed the alarm button. Usually used to scare cats from scratching my scratch-post Civic.

Right when I hit it, it started to blare and I heard the figure say things he'd never tell his mother. I jumped up from my hiding place after clicking off the alarm and saw him wiping off the front of his pants.

I totally made him jump to the ground and get his Armani's dirty. Oh I could be a supervillian or something.

When he saw me, he tried to act nonchalant and really had me doubting he had ever been shook up.

I limped over; one heel, one not so heeled, and mustered up as much dignity as I had in me. "There are so many ruffians in this neighbourhood, I never would've known."

He stared hard, "Ya shoulda been an actress."

He was back to leaning on my car; thumbs in the pockets of his tight fitting black jeans with a black t-shirt adorning his washboard stomach and toned shoulders. He still had the braid but that was the only remnants of the old Ranma I could find.

And then he began to speak.

"That guy in there, what'd he die of?"

I didn't like how he asked so I thought I'd play around with him. "Oh him? He died of two spoons to the ears."

"Oh yes," he said, without even flinching, "the great spoon kills of '95 all over again. Nobody touched their cornflakes for months."

I stopped my laugh half way and just ended up snorting.

He curled his smile up a bit and almost laughed. Bastard.

"Where the hell have you been? What the hell happened?" I asked, finally being allowed to be loud, tears now brimming from my eyes.

No, I was not going to cry, I was not going to be that girl.

He tensed. "I joined the army."

I stopped. What did he mean by that?

"What, like a kids-camp-army?"

"No." Ranma grinned, "This was the big-kids army."

I got the distinct feeling he was making fun of me so I lobbed around him and to the drivers' side of the car. He watched me go. I was freezing.

"Nice skirt. A little short."

I shot him a look that could kill a mosquito and he just stared back with an empty yet heated gaze.

I was way too drained for this; in the morning I would get over the shock of seeing him and be properly pissed, but for now, I just wanted to pass out in my bed. I turned the key. "I'm tired, my cool shoes are broken and I'm going home."

I opened the door and he turned a bit towards me. "Have you got a husband these days?"

I stared back. "Nope, you know that, you heard it from the witch."

I was cold and probably should have headed into my car, but for some reason I was willing to stay and fight this.

He acted like it had no effect on him. "Boyfriend?"

I clutched the top of the car. No point in lying, he'd find out tomorrow if he talked to anyone. "Caught him with my new arch nemesis last week."

He didn't change face. "Want me to kill him?"

This made me laugh if not because he actually looked serious. "Naw, waking up next to her in the morning is punishment enough."

Ranma stopped and stared back hard.

A moment of silence fell over us and I shivered in the dark. He immediately got off the hood and started to walk away, turning around for just a second to wink, circling back and walking off into the night.

I hoped he'd get attacked by bears.

* * *

I was driving home in seconds. I flipped up the heat and wriggled around in my seat to keep warm, bobbing my head to the music. 

I pulled into my apartment's parking lot and pulled into one of the closest spaces a little too fast.

Truth was, in my car there was no heat, it was like an ice age. I could flip the dial to the top but for the last three months, nothing came from this. I kept it unfixed hoping it would suddenly start again.

I got out of my car with the funny feeling that I was being watched. Tensing, I turned and did a 360 of my surroundings. Nothing. I was paranoid.

Tomorrow I would hand out resumes after real work. Hopefully it would be a good day and somebody no one liked would die. Maybe Ranma would be dead. Something inside me didn't like the thought of that and I mentally punched myself in the stomach.

Before I knew it I had taken the ratty elevator up to my floor and gotten out. I clambered over to the door, stuck the key in the lock, turned, and fell into my apartment.

Home! Sleep!

I threw my keys on the nearest table, threw my coat on the floor, kicked off my ruined shoe-babies, and trekked to my room, not giving a damn about anything. I opened the door and jus as I fondly nodded "hello" to my bed, the phone rang.

It was 10 o'clock and still somewhat early, but I really wasn't expecting it.

I walked over and picked up on the third ring.

"Howdy."

"Hey, Akane?" Someone politely asked into the phone.

Su phoned all the time, she was a great friend and knew I lived alone. Yet, every time she felt compelled to make sure it was really me.

"Hey Su, what's hip-happening?" I asked in an upbeat tone.

I was crying inside: I could literally _see_ my bed it was so close.

"Oh nothing, just wondering if you're still single and looking?"

I sighed, Su was like a mother; always trying to set me up. Truth was, I already had a date lined up; and after a night like tonight, it would be nice tell a certain someone tomorrow that I had a boy friend and nah-nah-nah-boo-boo. Of course, I wouldn't really be dating this guy but I could pretend we'd been going out for a while and lightly mention it to Ranma, knowing he'd follow me.

I met this guy while shopping for groceries and he set me up with his friend.I don't know how he did, but he was one smooth talker! We had even gone out after shopping and I had bought this gorgeous dress.

"Yeah," I said, already nervous, "I'm still . . . that."

She sighed in relief. "Well, my cousin is in town next week . . ."

Her cousin was five-foot-five and had the hairiest knuckles in the world which he combed and told me about frequently.

"Sorry, no can do if all goes well." I told her into the phone. "I might be taken by then. I'm going on a blind date. The guy's friend was in the supermarket and we made the date. I'm supposed to meet at Chez at seven tomorrow. He toldme to look for the most handsome guy in the room and ask if the crow caws at midnight."

I could sense herstare at the phone. This was supposed to be dinner, not a secret spy mission.

"Are you serious?"She asked, a little worried about the answer.

I laughed. "No, but he _did_ say to look for the hottest guy. Pretty sure of it too."

Chez was a gorgeous french restaurant with wonderful food and free refills of wine (their gimmick).

I heard her panting over the phone. "Please, let me live vicariously through you this one time and tell me how it goes, okay?"

I sighed. Bed was right there. If I didn't say yes, she'd be phoning all night.

I sighed. "Alright."

I heard her squeal on the other end of the line. "Honey, you will not regret this! Dress up all sexy-like, okay?"

Yeah, right.

I slid the phone home into it's cradle and tromped off to sleep.

My pillow felt like heaven.

* * *

A/N: So I'll try to get the next one out crazy soon too. Tell one and all if you liked this story, but especially me in the form of reviews! 


	3. Haven't Changed, Had Much to Say

Of all the hidden pleasures you find in what you're looking for

I hope that you remember that pride comes before a fall.

But I can barely see up and down and back again

Despite what you believe, I keep away from trouble

If who I am today's a sign of where I'm going

I'm ready to embrace.

"Up and Down and Back Again" by Powderfinger

* * *

Alright. Breath in and breath out. That's what I keep telling myself since I heard something shuffle in my kitchen. I really should get up and hit them with something, or call the police, but I don't know what to do.

Okay, there's a phone by my nightstand. I just have to reach out and grab it, dial three numbers and wait it out. I can do it.

I reached out and grabbed it, pulling it under the covers painfully slow so as not to make a sound, ducked my head under the covers with it and dialled the number, pushing the phone next to my ear. I peaked up over the fringe of my covers and stared into darkness.

Reception clicked and I heard a voice "Emergency, how can I help you?"

I whispered. "There's a man in my apartment. Wait, not a man I guess it could be a woman. I sure hope it's a woman I could beat her to hell. In fact, why the hell aren't I out there, I could beat any who dared come in here up!"

It was dead on the other end for a second. I think I made the woman speechless. "Ma'am, do not beat the intruder. You don't know how strong they are. They could have a gun or knife."

She was right. I highly doubt my roundhouse kick could defend against a bullet.

"Okay." I gave. "When will you guys be here?"

I could hear clicking on the other end and then the phone line went dead. That was the moment I realized I hadn't checked above my sheets for a little while. I clicked off the phone and silently, breathlessly peeked up.

There was nothing there except darkness. The in a flash I felt something heavy on the end of my bed.

Its voice was gravely. "Don't scream. There's no use I don't want to hurt you, just warn you. If I were you I would quit my job."

Okay, now I highly doubt anyone else could take the amount of crap I have in the last 24 hours. First, I have to deal with the dress code at my work, being called a skank by old people, watching a disgusting kiss, meeting my ex-fiancé who stood me up on prom night and not punching him in the face, and now getting broken in to and threatened, sort of, by them. I'm fed up with all this crap happening at once.

"Don't think I work there by choice. It's crap to work there, you got a better job for me or do you just stalk?" I spat. I squeezed the phone in my hand, ready to poke the guy in the eyes.

"I wouldn't talk back if I were you, Miss Tendo. Wouldn't want your other friend to die too, now would you?"

How the hell did he know about Sayuri? She had died three years before. One day she was fine and another, she was gone. She showed up a week later, water logged and shot three times in the chest.

"Get the fuck out of my house." I yelled, jumping up and ravaging at him.

He was stunned I had tried and as I wailed and punched he fought back, stronger than me but less skilled. As the lights in the room, and the rest of the place for that matter, shot on we both cringed. He recovered faster and body slammed me into the wall. The last thing I saw were two men in plain clothes cuffing him.

I didn't even see his face.

* * *

As I opened my eyes I felt for my shoulder. It was bruised and a few ribs might be broken. I must've fallen on something hard and pointy like my nightstand. Crap. That thing was expensive; I must have shattered it.

All the lights were on in the room and everything was white. Ever since Tofu got married Kasumi has been prepping herself as a nurse, going through the schooling, learning from the best there was in his field and eventually began helping out. I was so proud the first day she bandaged my foot after a bad fall.

The door was slightly ajar and a man's front half was talking out the other side of the door, giving me a great view of his cute butt and broad shoulders. I regretted him finishing his conversation and turning into the room only to be surprised to see Hiroshi staring back. I knew he had become a cop but I really hadn't thought he would ever want to see me again. We had a slight fling that ended up with him breaking an arm and dangling from a tree and me with a lost job.

"Hi." I mustered. Damn, he looked great. "How's life on the beat?"

He tipped up the corners of his mouth and shrugged, "Someone's gotta do it. How're the ribs? Talk about breaking in boats, not furniture."

Oh, he thought he was _so_ funny.

"That's hilarious; I bet you make all the fem-cops squeal." I said.

Sarcasm was my baby.

He grinned. "I do, but that's not all that makes 'em love me, you should remember that."

I was in a sheet under this bed and my ribs hurt, killing him would have to wait.

"So, why are you here; broken some bones, hopefully?" I innocently asked. Ha, take that!

He pulled up a chair, making sure it dragged and made that horrendous sound. I was sensitive, but pretended not to notice.

"You suck at pretending." He told me.

"You suck in general. Go fall from a tree."

"Ah yes, you still owe me for that." He said.

He slumped down in the chair, next to my bed. The chair was lower than the bed which helped because if the chair was higher he'd try to look down my shirt. Hiroshi was very hot. Girls told me that all the time. He got to know many a girl, I told them, one day he'd run out of energy and keel over and then I'd laugh. They'd laugh then, hope I'm not serious, and gush some more.

"So why are you stalking me?" I asked.

He wanted to know about the break in. I knew that, but I wanted to hear him say it; hear him say at least one thing that I knew, for sure, was true.

"I was walking by and saw you in here."

I eyed him. "Liar."

"Who broke in?"

"If I knew then I probably wouldn't be in this position, now would I?"

He slipped and smiled a bit. "I hear you belted him in the eye with your phone. He's real pissed."

"Good! He told me to quit my job and said he wouldn't hurt me. He had a gravely voice."

Hiroshi nodded like a cop. "He's been questioned. You okay?"

I nodded. When would he leave? I kept staring at his tight blue shirt. I shouldn't have, damn those biceps.

"I want some cake."

"You always want cake."

"Ranma's back in town."

This got him speechless. Finally, I won! Excellent, now I got to watch him think of what to say next.

He finally spoke. "Did he get fat?"

I rolled my eyes. "You can find out at the reunion. You're going right?"

"Well, lots of women _are_ gonna be there." He raised his eyebrows and smiled. "You wanna come with me?"

"Nope." I breathed out. Did he just ask me out? "I'm flying solo."

He raised an eyebrow again. "Would've thought you'd be going with Ranma?"

I rolled my eyes. "Nope. Oddly enough, when a guy comes around ten yards of me I don't automatically fall in love."

He got up. "You just haven't been tempted the right way yet."

And he left. That was harder than I thought it would be. I wondered if I should even go, I'd just have to watch the women brag about their conversations with Ranma and Hiroshi.

They'd better have a full bar.

* * *

I couldn't go back to my apartment. My purse and a change of clothes, with the clothes I had been wearing _missing_, were mysteriously at my hospital bed side. I let it slide because I really didn't want to think. So after I got out of the hospital, I went for a little walk downtown. I really did not want to go home. This just didn't happen to me. I was supposed to lead a normal life now. My teenage years had been enough insanity and hurt emotions and egos.

I suppose our hurts and problems mature with us; get bigger and stronger with time. They turn into something else, something that is not even close to what we used to be.

I was mulling this over as I stopped to get ice cream without even thinking about it. Okay, I didn't really need the ice cream, I had been getting a bit bigger these days but my constant working out helped a lot and I had just been hurt so I thought I deserved this. As I walked out of the store, and walked down the sunny sidewalk, a black figure joined me. I thought it was a shadow but it turned out to be Ranma, decked out in full black attire. He looked great in black jeans. He probably looked even better in no jeans. My mind wandered. No, bad Akane!

I was scolding myself when he laughed slightly through his nose. "How're your ribs?"

I looked to him, pulling up my hand and shielding myself from the sun. "Simply fabulous."

He smirked. "Sarcasm is your baby."

"Good, I'll have less crazies after me; they never go for the single mothers."

Finally, a perk.

"You're so weird. No wonder you don't have a boyfriend. Have you even had one since we last saw each other?"

Excuse me? Did he actually just say that? Oh that bastard was going down. Okay, show him up Akane, you know what to do.

"Actually, I hooked up with a guy the night of prom. We did it on the principal's desk."

I thought I was pretty convincing.

"How many times?"

He was testing me.

"Seventeen."

He smirked and eyed me.

"Liar."

"Captain Mysterio."

"Usually the girls go for that." He said.

We had reached the end of the street and were now crossing the small bridge we had crossed so many times before. We stopped half way and slouched against one side, staring at the river. It seemed appropriatetime for a saxophone to belt out old tunes.

"Nice day." I said, trying to drum up conversation.

He let out a sound that was low and would be the equivalent of a nod.

Jeez, Ranma the Handsome Robot was terribly mysterious.

"Say something." I said "Say anything. You're not even talking."

He kept staring at the water. "It's my thing. Nothing worth sayin', what do ya wanna know?"

I knew of course. Where the freakin' hell did you go? Why were you back? Did you ever love me? Are you wearing underwear?

All that came out was, "Are you going to the reunion?"

Akane, you wuss.

His smile was the equivalent of that. He was a bastard with great facial expressions.

"You invitin' me?"

Okay, no! I am not inviting you, you cocky bastard that left me last time I was there and made me cry. You left and now you just want to pick up where you left off! You come back all secure and sure of yourself when I don't even know you! Now you're really gonna hear it, you selfish jerk!

"Nope."

Wuss.

He changed the subject with utmost subtlety. "Shouldn't you be at work?"

I stared. What the hell, I had been broken into and threatened. I think that warranted a sick day. I had taken days off with much less. Once, while working at an Ice Cream Palace, I took a whole week off because my then "boyfriend", a certain cop, had the libido of a cat in heat and told me we were over. He told every other girl that too of course, but still.

"Uh no, what the hell, I got attacked! Besides, I've had enough of Creepy Marv's dress code. He told me that if I wanted to keep my job I had to dress lively because there were enough non-lively things in the place already."

"I take it ya stay for love of the job, then?" He took far too long inspecting me from head-to-toe. "Ya don't got more than a few hurt ribs."

What the heck was he talking about? I got owned! Well, not owned because that would be embarrassing, but the guy caught me off guard.

"They are bro-ken. There's also tons of psychological stuff."

He raised an eye brow. "You're psychologically scarred?"

"Yes. It's terrible."

His eyes stared me down.

"Shut up, Ranma."

"Didn't say a word, babe."

He whipped around and started walking off the bridge. I watched him for a while because really, what straight woman wouldn't stare? There were a few women walking past that were upstanding and conservative, not the type to hoot and holler, but even they stopped and watched. His lips were curling into a smirk. I knew it.

Because I knew him.

I sighed, ate the rest of my ice cream in one fell swoop, and cringed when I realized brain freeze can happen to anyone, strike anywhere. They should have help groups for ice cream-aholics. They'd better have coffee and donuts . . . and ice cream.

I should go home, but the feeling that I might not be alone warranted some tense feelings from me. I could phone someone with a gun to come inspect with me. Ranma probably had a gun, but I didn't have his number. If I did, I probably wouldn't phone him anyway out of lame embarrassment and anger that I'd side swipe him.

The only other person was Hiroshi. Crap.

After fishing my phone out of my gorgeous seafoam green beaded purse, I dialled his home number from when he was younger, it was the only one I had. I stood there resting on my hip.

His mother picked up. "Hello?"

I froze. For some reason mothers frightened me unbelievably.

"Hi, it's Akane Tendo." I breathed out. "Is Hiroshi possibly there?"

She answered with spite that I thought was much unfounded. "Hiroshi is a grown man, he doesn't live at home. He's a cop, you know! Why, you after him for his money? You aren't married, why?"

The barrage of questions continued and I really tried to be kind. "Do you have his cell, please?"

She stopped for a second. "Why do you want it?"

I sighed. Lying to an old person was mean, but she _had_ asked me if I was married.

"It's for a police matter."

"Are you addicted to drugs?"

"No!"

"555-4598."

She was totally gonna phone my dad and tell him I was a crack whore.

"I don't do drugs, Mrs. Miyako."

"That's what they all say! No wonder you're not married!" She scoffed.

Okay, I will never volunteer at an old folks home if they were all like the older people I knew.

"Your son's not married either!" I practically yelled into the phone.

People around me started to stare as they walked by over the bridge. So I jumped up and decided to start walking into town. Basically, off the bridge and right onto the side walk.

She hung up on me and I sighed. Good thing I wasn't planning on going to my dad's anytime soon.

I punched in Hiroshi's number and waited for it to click.

I heard a crackly sound then a cop sounding voice.

"Miyako here."

I snorted at how military-like his voice was and I heard him sigh over the phone.

"Miss Tendo it's not lady-like to say such things over the phone. I'm at work, maybe later."

I heard hoots and hollers from the other end. That bastard!

"Tell them I wasn't!" I screeched, causing more stares.

"Please Miss Tendo; the undergarments that you're wearing, or lack of therefore, can't be helped at the moment."

"Fine! You know what you jerk; I don't need your help!"

He paused for a second and then muttered. "I'll be there in fifteen."

The place erupted on the other end and I was royally pissed. I would get him back. Not in a small way, but in a larger, maniacal way. That could be done later, though.

I needed to get ready for my date tonight. I was excited. To be truthful, I hadn't gone on a good date for a while and the guy that set us up was so sweet about it. Especially saying the guy I was going out with had only been in town for a day or so.

That meant that tonight, in front of this stranger, I could be anything.

Hiroshi had said he'd be at my apartment. He obviously couldn't have known I would ask for that, so I really didn't think he'd be there. That was okay, I'd brave it alone. I could do this, I really could.

Once I got to my apartment building I immediately spotted Hiroshi, next to his red Subaru Legacy. He was leaning against it with incredibly well fit jeans and that damn blue shirt. I waved a stocky wave and he responded by leaning off the car and coming closer to stand beside me.

We stood face to face and he stared back at me with a serious look in his eyes. This was not very Hiroshi-like. I tried to move, but couldn't.

"Sweets." He said.

I gulped.

"You ready?"

I almost jumped out of my skin. It was telling me to touch his face, his lips, and his back. It was the way he said things that got me all flustered and made me remember the time we spent together; rather short day-wise, but amazingly nice to remember.

I nodded and waited for him to reach in closer and kiss me. Okay, so I was kind of giving into urges. I had been scared and he was here at the moment.

He moved towards the door and away from me then, leaving me standing there with the most confused look on my face.

"It's really fine, nobody's gonna be there." He assured, smirking, still walking ahead of me.

I let out my breath in a sort of huff and started catching up to him.

"Right." I said airily. "Well, let's make it quick I've got a date tonight that I just have to get ready for."

Hah! Take that for leading me on with your sultry expressions and cute butt!

"Lucky you." He said. "Sure you don't want a police escort? It's a dangerous world."

I smirked. There was nothing like a plan going through. "Nope, let's just get this over with."

I opened the door to the apartment building.

I really hoped the mystery guy looked that good in jeans.

* * *

A/N: So yes, I did Akane's PoV again and next chapter will most likely be Ranma. Then probably will be Jin. That's all though, only three. So yes, I'm trying to write adequate chapters if not just a little shorter than my usual these days, but updating frequently. How are they so far?

Sodalicious: Thanks so much! This is my first real first-person story. I suppose my story Aftermath could be first-person, but it's all diary entries so I didn't know if that counted. Oh yes, making people want more is excellent and evil. Muahaha

White Tigress666: Yeah, I kind of was waiting for this chapter to explain the dress code thing so I'm sorry for the confusion! Yes, it's kind of based off of Grosse Pointe Blank and somewhat off the Stephanie Plum books by Janet Evanovich (which everyone who likes humour-mystery-romances should, and everyone else for good measure) but don't worry, I only use the two as bases.

Icy: Thank you oh so much and yes, I agree that many stories are fabulous, but there can never be enough.

Vaniah: Yeah, read above if you didn't catch it this chapter and thank you for pointing it out. I was wearing these ankle boots and onle hel completely broke of so I had to break off the other one (they were kind of crappy yet mildly expensive) and it turned them into elf shoes, they flipped up at the toe now, right around St, Patrick's Day so that was the good part of that. **Him** be her **date**? What an outlandish idea. . .

Ryoko Blue: What did you think it was? Did you think Grosse Pointe Blank and this chapter really didn't make sense with that theory?

FoolyJooly: Thanks so much, can't wait to hear from you again!

Erie Maxwell: Your reviewing grave is empty now, good. They do make cute drunks, as long as they don't throw up.

Review please!


	4. But Man I Still Think Those Cats Are Gre...

Darlin' you're the highlight of my life

You're the one that makes it all worth while

You're the one that taught me how to smile

Darlin' you're the highlight of my life

You're the one I always think about

And you're the one I couldn't live without

And you've always been my guiding light

Darlin' you're the highlight of my life

"Highlight of My Life" by Dolly Parton

* * *

I bit my lower lip and rubbed my temples. "Okay, explain this again."

Jin fidgeted because he knew I was angry. He tugged at the bottom of his shirt.

Ranma Saotome: striking fear in friends and enemies alike. It felt like a very good moment for a maniacal laugh.

"Listen Flash, you've gotta get over Akane. This girl was such a sweetheart, great hips, and the most gorgeous hair!" Jin went off.

He liked to nickname me things like Flash, poking fun at the fact that most people thought of me as some sort of super hero. Sure I was super, but I wasn't quite sure about that other part.

He said it like it was easy. Yes, I'll just get over the girl that shaped most of my life in some small way. While I was at it, I might as well stop eating.

I folded my arms over my chest. "Ooh, lemme think about this." My tone changed from sarcastic o serious. "Uh . . . no!"

Stance of the warrior.

Jin poked me in the arm. "If I were to switch for one girl, it'd definitely be this beauty."

He scowled and I smirked. "You don't even know her name and you expect me to go out with her?"

He nodded.

On one mission, we were in Belize; it was a really hot night and we had delivered the package we were sent to. We were in this seedy bar and this guy with greasy hair and a swaggering walk comes by and basically sweeps Jin off his feet. I warn Jin with a word not to, but he goes off anyway. Five minutes later he ran out of the bathroom, pulled on my sleeve and told me we were taking the first flight back to Japan. I asked why and he replied that he asked the guy's name and the guy had said Crystal. Therefore, names were obviously important.

I sighed. I kind of, sort of, owed him one.

See, we were in China on a layover from a mission and I spotted Shampoo. Obviously, I completely freaked and hoped she didn't see me. Me completely freaking is twitching and maybe tapping my foot, but inwardly I'm stark raving mad. At least, that's how it's been for a while now. So anyway, I see her, she sees me, starts running over with a mean lookin' scowl on her face, and I freeze. For the first time in seven and a half years, I froze.

Probably because for the first time in seven and a half years, my past had caught up with me.

So she's trampling over, eyes popping out, probably figuring whether she wants to kill or glomp me. She's zeroing in and I feel something jerking me from the collar into the guys' bathroom. Jin's there by the door and our suitcase is in there. I could hear her outside the door yelling in Chinese, which I had picked up among other languages and wished I hadn't, and knew she was out for blood. Jin and me made eye contact, simultaneously stared at the bag and then back to each other. He groaned and told me his favourite clothes were in there. I told him I'd buy him new stuff, but knew I couldn't replace everything. In another second she kicked down the door and was in disbelief as to how I escaped. Jin gave her some story about never seeing a young man of my description come in, politely said sorry and that he'd really like to finish his business in there. She huffed and ran to the window, only to see clothes four stories down and nothing else. She walked out of the room then, not before tripping over Jin's suitcase, with me inside, and when she stood it upright and said sorry, we both bit our lip.

So really, designer stuff going missing because of my fiancée problems equals favour owing. Big favour owing.

I sighed. "Fine. This makes up for the clothes thing though."

He nodded labouredly. "I'm doing this for your own good and you say it's a favour to me!"

I grinned.

"Sucker."

He punched me in the arm and laughed along with me, both of us perched on the side of my bed.

"So, how will I know it's her?" I asked.

I knew it wouldn't be a stupid red rose on the table, a blue bracelet wrapped around her wrist or a green dragon tattooed across her face. Jin was trendy, his ideas were trendy.

"Well, we ended up going shopping together and I helped her pick out this gorgeous royal purple dress. There's not another like it. When you see the dress you'll know it's her. Believe me, nobody else is gonna be wearing it."

He smiled in triumph.

I lied on my back and stared at the ceiling. "How's she look in it?"

He inspected his nails. "Sex on legs baby."

The thought of Akane lingered in my mind. I needed to get it out of there. This was not a peace treaty trip into my past, this was a simple trip.

"Better be. How'd ya tell her she'd know it was me?"

He turned and stared at me. "If I tell you, it'll only inflate your white-house sized ego all the more."

"All the more reason to tell me." I put on a mock grimace. "My self confidence is just so low."

He punched me in the arm. "Oh shut up, fine, I told her to look for the hottest guy there."

Wow, I knew I thought I was the hottest guy around by far, but hearing it from Jin made me feel great. We were brothers pretty much and hearing your brother admit you were hot stuff was a triumph.

"Damn right. I taught you well." I stood up. "Am I gonna need a tux?"

He nodded. "Dinner at Chez? I think so."

"Chez?" I yelled from the bathroom. I had a tux ready at any moment, never knew when the occasion would arrive; and hey, I loved dressing up. Probably the remnants of my female side that stuck with me after I found the cure.

Yes, it was tough as nails, but I had found my cure. I suppose I'll leave that story for another time though.

Chez was, frankly, the best restaurant in town. Exquisite, exciting, and expensive.

My personal motto to a tee.

"Only the best for our little lone gunman." I heard from the other room.

I snorted. Obviously, I was not a lone gunman, but I did deserve the best.

I strolled out of the bathroom and Jin pretended to faint.

I walked over and smacked him upside the head.

He stood up, looked at the nightstand clock radio and sighed.

"It's six thirty-five. Meet there at seven. You should probably leave now, I suppose."

He straightened my bow tie. "At least you're broadening your horizons and wearing a color other than black; even if it is just white."

I winked and moved for the door.

He called out after me. "Be nice . . . and you better come home tonight! She's a sweet girl and doesn't deserve her heart to be preyed on by a certain emotionally unavailable man!"

I turned back, hand on the door and all innocence. "Who, me?"

* * *

I arrived at the restaurant ten minutes late. It was on purpose of course, but I still hated the traffic Nerima had succumbed to.

Fashionably late, she'd be even more impressed. I was not nervous, but I had to admit, I really hoped she was cute.

I scanned the place for a purple dress: nowhere in sight.

Then my heart stopped. I always thought people were being melodramatic when they said that, but I had found it really did happen. I clenched my teeth. There, sitting at the bar in a big black coat was Akane Tendo.

I knew right away that I had to do something and before I knew it my feet had dragged me over to her. I took the seat next to and watched her grasp her glass, staring the other way, not noticing me yet. I grinned, another surprise for her. Since purple dress girl wasn't here yet, I could make Akane jealous or just bug her, and make the other girl a bit jealous too. A girl doesn't notice a guy more than if he's already taken. If I was talking to Akane, looking very attractive huddled in her black coat, the woman would b-line over.

She turned as I flicked my hand at the bartender, signalling a beer in my direction. She turned to see who would be haughty enough to just flick his hand and not ask for one like everybody else. I turned at the same time so she only saw the back of me.

I heard her stall for a second. She pulled on my sleeve. "Ranma?"

When I turned around grinning, "surprised" to see her she jumped out of her seat. I mean that literally, she fell flat on her face off the stool.

I let my head fall back and laughed for a solid minute. "Still clumsy as ever, eh?"

She scowled and picked herself off, slapping at my outstretched hand. "I don't need your help. I could see her take in my appearance: bow tie, suit, hotness all present.

She adjusted her coat and unbuttoned the top button, revealing just a bit of her décolleté. "Hello Ranma, I wasn't expecting you to be here. Out with one of your bimbos?"

I leaned back and faced her, scanning the place. "Ya, but she doesn't seem to be here yet."

She grabbed her glass and raised an eyebrow. "Don't think you got stood up, do you?"

I grabbed at my chest. "My glass heart couldn't take it."

She snorted and knocked back her drink. "Well, mine is a bit late too."

At my smirk she pointed at me. "Fashionably, probably, and the traffic today is brutal."

I stared back at her. "Well, if we do get stood up, at least we've got each other." I raised my glass to her.

She rolled her eyes. "Oh joy, I think I'll die of delight."

Wow, sarcasm was high on her list of priorities, probably the only way she could answer that didn't include breaking anything.

"So, how's work?" I asked.

She pondered for a moment, staring at the bottles adorning the back wall of the bar. She looked gorgeous, thoughtful and modest. I was ready to jump her.

"Can something be frightfully boring and terribly creepy at the same time?"

I raised an eyebrow inquisitively. "If you want it to be."

She smiled then and stared at her toes. She rested her head on her folded arms on the counter and turned it my way.

"I kept my hair short, y'know." She told me.

"I noticed." I said back.

I really did. I would have thought she'd have it all elegant and long considering the fuss she made of it being cut in the first place. I had to pull out the c-word to cheer her up from that.

I had to admit, she really did look cute with it.

I sure hoped that girl was cute now. Not just cute, ridiculously gorgeous. If not, Akane would be the thing I would be thinking about tonight, the exact opposite purpose of this evening.

She nodded into her coat. "I'm trying to get Nabiki to hook me up with a new job; she owns all these businesses so hopefully I'll snag a job in one."

I was a little shocked she didn't want to do it all on her own, thought she was still on her stupid independence kick.

She noticed and explained while shrugging. "When you're poor like me, using family ties is fine and dandy."

If I were a few years younger I would've poked fun of her at this point. I had learned to keep my mouth shut . . . most of the time.

"So who was the guy assigned to your case?" I asked.

I knew, of course, but I had heard a few things about her and my old friend Hiroshi that interested me, and not in a work sense.

"Oh, just Hiroshi." She sighed. I saw her thinking about something and decided to continue before she could finish the thought, just in case it wasn't about me.

"He's a cop now, how long's that been goin' on?"

She sighed. "A while I guess, not long enough to make him serious though. "I heard some spite in her voice and smirked.

"You guys . . . together?"

She turned to me, with that face she gave when she was pointing something out in front of the person she was talking about. Hiroshi wasn't here though, and she looked peeved to the untrained eye.

"No one goes out steady with Hiroshi, he's got commitment issues."

"Commitment issues? What, is he afraid of relationships?"

"No, he should be committed."

I laughed.

I would've liked to know if they ever had gone un-"steady" but I'd ask that later.

"Babe, it doesn't seem like our dates are showin' up anytime soon, wanna have a coffee or something?"

Smooth. I was a little peeved that I got stood up, but maybe she was just too embarrassed to show up because she was circus ugly or some evil being.

Akane reached for the next button of her coat. She stared me down suspiciously. 'If he shows up, you promise you'll leave?"

I nodded. She stared me in the eyes and played with her coat button, daring me to look away and at her chest, where the button currently presided.

Wait a minute, she was trying to get me all hot and bothered.

"Akane, stop trying to seduce me."

She snorted and made her eyes all confused, but I noticed her cheeks color just a little bit under the thin layer of blush she had applied earlier.

She undid it to reveal more skin, and no dress yet. Low necklines were fabulous, they worked on anyone. She jumped off her stool, turned around so I could only see the back of her, and headed toward the nearest coat stand, scattered all over the restaurant for those who were too good to check their coats. She undid each button, staring down at one that didn't want to part with it's other half and finally pulled the sides apart, slinking it down to reveal a gorgeous, shimmering purple cocktail dress.

I stared for a second, and then smirked.

This was gonna be fun.

* * *

A/N: Short chapter, I know, but I'm setting up for the next one. I like Akane's point-of-view more so I'll probably end up favouring her narrating the chapters, but only just a bit. So, what do you think so far? I know it's slow moving, but I like it's pace. Don't worry, it will be packed with twists and mysteries and at least once you'll be astonished (if all goes according to plan). Read review, and have a good night!

A Night Walker: What was confusing? I'll explain unless it's confusing for plot purposes

Angela Jewell: I played around with her hitting him, but I thought she matured and was pretty much shocked. Not freaking out was kind of her revenge since Ranma would probably love to see her flip, eh? And thanks for the compliments!

TheEtherway: Oh yes, understanding half of the plot is excellent since it'll all come out in time. I love the Stephanie Plum books too, are you excited Eleven On Top is coming out in almost a month? I know I'm ordering off chapters.ca when it comes out (hopefully I can pre-order). I have to because last time I forgot and it took me forever to get it

Just a Reviewer: Oh don't worry, many an excellent thing will happen to Akane and many other, crazy things too

Ikerana: Thanks so much, I enjoy dialogue and if they hadn't grown a bit it would be a bit sad, eh?

Vaniah: Don't feel sad I know how to spell, feel happy, you're such a celebrity everyone knows how to spell it :) Notice how those background characters come up in the story. I've aready mentioned one other than Hiroshi . . .

Icy: I love the word wicked so much and it reminds me of the awesome book/musical which makes it all the better!

WhiteTigress666: It'd be a good acting experience if it was Jin, very funny. Although, it would be quite the accomplishment if Akane made Jin switch teams, huh?

Peace and cupcakes, thanks for reading.


	5. They Were Asking If You Were Around

Here comes my baby  
Draggin' my heart behind  
He's drivin' me crazy  
Who says love is blind  
He's got a wanderin' eye and a travelin' mind  
Big ideas and a little behind  
Out with a different woman every night  
But I remember when he was mine

Why'd Ya Come In Here Lookin' Like That?" by Dolly Parton

* * *

I'll admit I really wanted to get his attention when I took off my favourite black coat. It was big and felt French, like I was an heiress out for a little romp with the peasants. A minute out of my body was nice for a second.

When I returned from putting my coat on a naked rack, he had already seated himself at a two seated table by the window. It was night time, dark out, and the candle in the middle of the table lit up his face. He had an excellent profile, and everything else was good too.

He led with his chin. How proud.

Something got a little queasy in my stomach but I fluttered forward, ignoring it.

In a second I was back, sitting across from him, and so many emotions filled my eyes. I had to bite back the tears. This wasn't right. I didn't have to deal with this anymore; if I kept distant nothing would hurt me.

He interrupted my deep thoughts with a very Ranma-like question.

"So, what's the best food here?" Ranma asked.

I've noticed people revert to four base things when they have nothing to say: the weather, work, sports, and food. Although very important, I wasn't about to let him slither out of telling me what had happened that night _again_.

"Oh, I don't know . . . anything. Besides, I thought we were only having coffee?"

He stared across the table and raised an eyebrow in shock. "Drinking and then leaving without eating? Why Akane, I thought you were an upstandin' lady, now."

I snorted. "Not now, not ever."

He "tsk"ed and I could feel him relax into our one-two-punches and sarcasm.

"I remember a time when you were a refutable little lady." He pointed out.

No. Please don't bring up the past. I had spent enough time forgetting about that. How could he say that? He didn't even know me anymore. He didn't know what the fuck I had been through for the past ten years. The past decade there had been highs and lows, ups and downs, and he hadn't been there for a goddamn second of it!

C'mon Akane, it's time you told him! That's what my body told me, what my mind told me, what my heart told me, and I couldn't stop the words quick enough.

"Obviously." I seethed. "You weren't present when I _grew up_."

He smirked, either trying to not notice or being blind to the fact that I was on the brink of tear-filled rage.

"Didn't miss much development, did I?" He stared up at me with a sultry look that stalled when he actually saw me.

He looked slightly mortified. The only things that really riled Ranma Saotome were two things: cats and girls crying.

I was pretty sure cats weren't spewing from my eyes.

I felt my eyes just in case. It turns out I hadn't stopped the tears from trickling down just a little bit.

"Fuck." I said under my breath, wiping away the tears and getting up.

I promised I wouldn't cry for him.

He stood when I did, reaching out for my hand before I pulled it away.

"Akane, don't over react." He tried, staring from side to side at the onset audience we had attained.

What? Oh, he **had** to be kidding.

I took a step forward, pushed him back and pointed a finger in his startled face. "Don't move a muscle, Saotome."

I stormed over to the coat rack, wrenched my coat from it, swung it over each shoulder whilst storming back, and got back to the table in less than thirty seconds.

He stood up, behind his side of the table a little defensively, and looked a little put out.

Everyone has a breaking point. I had been wrecked, left, and now returned to. In between there was a whole lot of unrelated normal crap, but Ranma Saotome certainly took the cake for worst relationship ever. And **I** had gone out with a glass eater. He would only eat glass and broke up with me when I refused to eat a special dinner of IKEA products he had made. He had tried to throw the pie in my face, it had been made of glass remember, and stabbed me in the ear.

Yet, Ranma topped that.

"Now listen here. You've been gone for the past ten years to who knows where, for who knows why, and have decided to return for a cheap party with people who have basically just swelled. You don't know a damn thing about me anymore. I'm not that little girl you can make swoon anymore; no, I am strong, and independent, and . . . and hot!"

Boy I needed this.

I slammed my fist on the table and his lips tightened.

"Oh and don't give me that glare. Am I embarrassing you? Good! Try waiting on your doorstep for two hours, being coaxed into going to your prom alone and being whispered about the whole night, not to mention ruining your fifty thousand yen dress with tear stains."

All emotion drained from his face. He was cold.

I continued. "They said that mascara was water proof Ranma, and it really fucking wasn't!"

I rested a second and he began to speak. I threw out my hand. "Oh I am _not_ done yet. Now listen up, you think just because you can smile that smile and strut with the best of them that you can have me? DO you think that now that you've had time to "grow as a person" or whatever the hell else you were thinking when you left, that I am just gonna crawl back to you? I am, believe or not, my own person now. I have friends, and memories, and good times, and bad times, and relationships, and fuckwits. I am glad I've had a long history because I like who I am now, I'm my own person. I'm not a daughter, or a sister, or somebody's friend anymore." I reached over and poked him hard in the shoulder. "And I am definitely not just somebody's fiancée."

He stared back deadpanned.

I waited for him to say something. Say just about anything to solve this just a little bit.

"Well?" I asked. "What do you have to say?"

He paused for a second, staring down at the rolls on the table, and then back up at me, looking up into my eyes.

Damned if he didn't have the most gorgeous peepers.

"You done?"

I gaped. What in the hell did he mean by that? Was I _done_? Like he had been waiting for this, like I was predictable!

I wiped my eyes, put a stern look on my broken face, and faced him stone-faced.

"Ranma-" I just couldn't finish. I had used all my energy blasting. Him.

I sighed, defeated, I turned and walked away. He just stood there, arms folded across his chest. I was the bigger person here, I had no resulted to hitting him, or anything. That me was gone, I was mature now.

Aw screw it.

I briskly paced back, grabbed my water goblet and splashed him in the face.

He made a manly gruff, but didn't flinch. I turned to leave and stopped. He hadn't turned female.

I looked back and he smirked.

I laughed dejectedly.

"Found the cure to your curse then? Congratulations. Tell me where I can find the cure to mine."

And then I walked out. That had wiped the smirk clear off his face.

I was definitely too tired to go out more tonight and I had only had one drink so I was still good to drive. I climbed into my car, slammed the door, and turned on the ignition, keys out lightening fast. I paused as the lights flickered on. Something was on my windshield.

Probably a flyer. I rolled down my window, reached for it, and thrust it into my pocket…

I flew right out of that restaurant parking lot.

* * *

When I had parked and turned the key in my lock I had cried three more times. All in the car though, so my face had stopped being horribly red and puffy. I readied myself for my apartment and sleep, and went in.

I turned and shut the door loudly, threw my purse and coat on the floor, and, with closed and lightly burning eyes, started to unzip the back of my dress. I walked over my hard wood floor, past my tiny kitchen and was at the door to my bedroom when someone coughed.

It was the kind of cough you do to get someone's attention, not release an M&M from your throat.

I swirled around to see a smirking Hiroshi. He was lounging on my couch, pizza in one hand and a beer in the other.

"I come bearing gifts." He said melodramatically.

I was dry crying with a smile on my face. "No, I'm tired. I was sleep."

He stared back at me concerned. "Wow, you really must be tired if you're willing to give up pizza and beer."

No, I was too tired to care about the fact that he was in my apartmen and I hadn't let him in.

It was pizza and beer though. . .

"Is it light beer?" I asked, suspicious.

He scoffed. "Light beer's for wusses."

I trotted over and jumped onto my couch. It was normal couch material that got warm fast and didn't make you feel like a slimy slug in the summer like leather.

He stared at the dress, a strap fell off my shoulder unbeknowest to me. As I waited for him o pass me my pizza and beer, he reached over and touched my arm, causing me to jump and stare him in the eyes.

What was he gonna do? I had had a pretty bad night, but felt so relieved after getting all that anger off my chest. I wouldn't mind a victory kiss right about now . . . or a little bit more.

He stared me in the eyes, a serisou look that was neither his cop nor his angry face sent chills up me. These were good chills though. I think.

Without losing eye contact he pulled the strap up over my shoulder again.

You should probably zip that up." He said.

I shrugged. "I'm not worried about it falling off. I can handle it."

"I know." He eyed me with the hungriest eyes ever, which was odd due to the bulk of the pizza already eaten. "I don't know if I can though."

I paused for a second. "Well then you're gonna have to suck it up. Aren't you gonna ask how my date went? And pass me some pizza!"

Hunger overtook desires at this point.

He smirked and handed me the pizza I so craved. I bit into it and it was gone to the lady of my stomach in a few more seconds.

"Akane, you just scarfed that thing down faster than the Flash." Hiroshi said.

He sighed and rested back on the side of the couch.

"So how'd your date go?"

I mumbled between bites because, really, any conversation couldn't be as good as this pizza.

" . . . didn't show up . . . Rnama was there . . . got stood up too . . . had dinner with him."

Hiroshi stared into his pizza. Ooh, some-body's jealous. Considering the night we had had I wouldn't know why he would be, but I really didn't want to relay the events to him.

He coughed. "Right, well . . . " He stopped and then started again. "Did he kiss you?"

Yeah right, I wasn't that desperate.

"uh no. Why would he?" I asked with as much disgust as I could muster.

Hiroshi stared back at me as I was stupid.

"What?"

"Akane."

"Yes?"

"Nobody comes back to town after ten years for a party."

That was true. That was exactly what I had been thinking too. If it wasn't just that, though, then what? It couldn't be me, he had been going out on a date with a girl tonight, not even in town three days!

"The guys from Animal House would." I mumbled.

He grinned and a devilish expression came over his face. "True, but for anyone else it would have to be a pretty good party."

I smiled. "With free drinks and enough orgys to count on two hands."

He smirked and moved closer, almost on top of me now. I gulped.

Did I really want this? Did I want the man that used all the girls for one thing and then left without flinching to come into my life again? And even though I blew up at Ranma tonight I knew if he told me he loved me today I wouldn't reject . . . I don't think.

Well, I don't know what I'd do.

"Aren't you gonna finish your pizza?" I sqeeked.

I could feel his hips on mine, his hot breath on my neck. Oh gee.

I could feel his smile. "So he didn't kiss you?"

I shook me head and almost forgot to breath.

He reached in quickly and pulled me into a fervent, deep kiss. My eyes popped out a bit and I was glad he couldn't see them. I lifted a hand and pulled him by the back of the head closer, sinking into the couch and pillows a bit. His hand searched my body and finally returned to my face.

When he finally broke off the kiss, which really shouldn't have just been labelled a kiss, I panted a bit. He stared back at me and stroked away a loose hair that had clouded his clear view of my eyes. He tucked it behind my ear and he swallowed hard.

"What would you say if I told you I wanna be an honest man?" He asked, looking so vulnerable and serious.

He really wanted an answer.

I gulped., feeling his weight still over me. "I'd ask you who you were and what you'd done with Hiroshi Miyako, the boy on all the girls' bathroom walls."

His lips curved into a smile and I could still taste them. "Good answer."

He was off me in a second, standing up and putting the pizza box on the coffee table safely. "I came over to talk about the break in, but I tell you tomorrow. I've gotta go now. Nice dress."

I wasa little stunned at the kiss he stole. That bastard!

"Can you pass me my coat, I'm cold." I asked, sigh a little bit.

He turned, grabbed it, and passed it to me.

"I didn't steal the kiss. You wanted it just as bad." He told me.

How readable was I? Crap, I had to work on my poker face. I should get tips from Nabiki.

"No way, that makes up for the tree incident, now we're square." I told him.

I doubted he would take that.

"No way. The tree incident, which we are now calling an "incident" for some reason, is worth a lot more than that."

He stalled as he noticed something had dropped from the coat, the flyer, and was grabbing it. "And besides, I just brought you your coat."

I laughed. "oh and that was so useful."

He grinned back as he held the blue piece of paper out to read. His smile dropped from his face.

He had his cop-face on now.

I squinted. "What is it?"

He was curt and swallowed hard. "Sweets, where did this come from?"

What did he want to know that for?

"The restaurant. It was on my car window, why?"

He stared hard at it, closed his eyes for a second, and then gave me the paper to read.

As I read it my blood ran cold.

_Akane Tendo. _

_By your ten year reunion you will be dead. Say goodbye to old friends now. You've pissed off the wrong people. You should have quit when you had the chance. _

_Goodbye, dear._

Oh my god.

* * *

A/N: So? And don't worry, if you think the coupling is set now. Read a Janet Evanovich book and learn that you can have two men in your life, kissing you on the same day, and still not have a damn clue who you want to end up with.

Motokonobaka: Thanks so much!

Bubbly Minx: Oh my, I can't believe I missed that. Seriously, I burst out laughing when I found out. I fixed it and thought I had added that, but it must have been ridiculously confusing. Hank you so much to still read after a major mess up like that! Yup, Jin's gay and that might have something to do with how he met Ranma . . .

Ikerana: Thanks so much. I try.

Icy: I'm still going to do other points-of-view, but I think it's mre fun as Akane. She's just as confused as everyone else. I think it also gives a little mystery to the men in her life.

EmpressKona: Oh believe me, if Ranma were ever to get Akane back, as shown in this chapter, he'd have to do a whole lot more than sweep her.

Angela Jewell: Yeah I really didn't know how I'd do the date, but I knew what I wanted to happen. You guys are ahead of me though, but I know I'll surprise you at some point!

WhiteTigress666: What can I say, I love writing about stories that have happened in the past that the reader doesn't get to find out too much about because they're nice things to think about and imagine yourself.

A Night Walker: Did I clear everything up? Sorry if it is a bit confusing, tell me what is and I'll fix it up nice and quick!

Thanks for reviewing!

Now, go and do it again!


	6. How You Was, Where You Could Be Found

Here you come again  
Just when I've begun to get myself together  
You waltz right in the door  
Just like you've done before  
And wrap my heart 'round your little finger  
Here you come again  
Just when I'm about to make it work without you  
You look into my eyes  
And lie those pretty lies  
And pretty soon I'm wonderin'  
How I came to doubt you

"Here You Come Again" by Dolly Parton

* * *

I guess I've always believed that timing is everything. If I wasn't late for most job interviews I went to, I might not work at Creepy Marv's.

Oh damn, I had to go back today.

Anyway, back to timing, it has always been a big part of my life. Many a bathroom walk in would be averted, the kiss from Shinosuke, and the two hours on my front steps waiting for a boy who would never come.

So, when I woke up in my bed, in an old oversized t-shirt and panties, and under all my warm covers: I was a little surprised.

It seems I fainted after reading the note. Well, it was frightening beyond belief, but still, that was pretty bad. I felt my cheeks go red.

How had I changed? Had it been me? Where the hell had Hiroshi gone?

I turned to my side table alarm clock, which was only a clock and a little bit of a radio at this point, and groaned when I noticed it was six thirty in the morning.

I rubbed my ribs and cringed. My cringe turned into a yawn and I was now fully awake, staring at the stucco on my ceiling. I pushed back the covers and flipped my bare legs over the side.

I had waxed them a week ago and they were all nice and smooth. I ran a hand over them and smiled, they felt silky.

Sure, I couldn't afford silk sheets, but my legs sure felt like it.

My Dad was always trying to give me money. He hit it big with an inheritance and, ever since, has tried to buy me the world. Well, I enjoyed it a bit at first but now I didn't want a thing to do with it. I treasured my independence, my free thought, and when he gave me money I felt so bad.

I slipped into my big purple bunny slippers, underneath my bed just in case someone was to come in here with me and wouldn't laugh at me for them.

I dragged myself into the kitchen, through my door, and wiped my eyes, shielding them from the sun.

I yawned and let out a little sound as I stopped.

I walked to the fridge, opened it, and stared inside. There was a bit of morning light in the room but the leering light still struck me as amazing. I looked to the window and noticed a lump on my couch.

I strolled over curiously. What the hell was that? After last night, things began to freak me out a bit more. I took my favourite mug from the counter, ceramic and quite hittable.

I stared at the sleeping figure. His hair was tussled over his face, growing an inch shy of his ear, but shaggy still the same. It was light brown and hadn't lost its gorgeous highlights. His face was calm, no disguises, and his arm was over his stomach, the other above his head. He was sprawled over the couch and looked absolutely adorable.

So this whole kiss thing last night had to be put on the back burner for a while. I mean, kiss or death threat, what took precedence?

I was beginning to think his lips put up a very good argument.

I stood above the couch, the sun gazing in a bit, low lighting the room and making it feel warmer some how. Of course, it could have been Hiroshi's figure making me feel so hot.

That, of course, was just one explanation.

I slumped over the top of the couch, head on hands on couch.

I tilted my head and stared at the sleeping man.

He had stayed the night to protect me. I wondered if it was the cop in him, or the man in him that made him stay. I didn't think he would. After all, our last real encounter had been with a tree.

See, when I was 19, and all the girls still mumbled about him horrendously, I didn't notice. I was grieving for things and had just gotten a job picking up golf balls at a driving range; my speed and agility giving me the edge for the job. Since I cost a lot less than a machine and its gas and maintenance I was paid well.

So one day, after what I thought was the first week of a beautiful relationship with Hiroshi, a boy from high school that picked me up from a bar and swept me immediately off my feet and straight into bed, I heard two girls talking as they golfed. I was re-depositing balls and my large visor hid my face. They were talking about the boys' bathroom walls of Kikyo's Bar, this was at a time when I still referred to men as boys and was probably right, and how they advertised Akane Tendo as a magnificent applicant for a date.

My face went red with anger and I sort of went crazy. I stole a golf cart and was riding down the street to find him when I noticed him talking up some girl n the park. I zoomed over, amazed at just how fast they could go, and as he noticed he began to run. I yelled and screamed and at the end I rammed him with my golf cart, flinging him into a near by tree.

When people asked me why I did it, to this day, I simply explain the bastard deserved it.

So, when I see him coming near him again, seven years later, my eyes flare and my heart pinches with a strange mix of guilt and desire.

Relationships are definitely worse than throwing up.

Plus, they leave an even worse aftertaste.

I studied his face, the worried twitch his eyes sometimes moved to obvious signs of a dream.

I thought about the note for a second, and the break in. So, I had to think of the facts, of what this person knew. So far they knew where I lived, where I worked, and where I ate. They knew about Sayuri's murder three years ago, and they knew about my reunion. It frightened me, the thought they were watching right now.

Okay, I didn't have to panic. I knew what I should do; work with the police, but my heart told me to b-line to Ranma. Ranma was a dangerous man. Dangerous men, if on their good side, were a very nice accessory at this point.

Of course, working this out was the only possibility in my mind. I had never been the type of girl to just let things lie and wait for them to happen. I was the first to attack and I would do it furiously.

Hiroshi wouldn't help. He would tell me to let the cops do it themselves, but I knew I would be back logged and they didn't have the man power or power in general, to take action first.

So there was only Ranma, only the danger, to help me out.

Someone groaned and I opened my eyes, not realizing until then they had been closed.

Hiroshi scrunched his face and stretched, his shirt riding up a bit to show his rock hard abs. I froze.

I cooled off by remembering the notes on me on the bar bathroom so long ago and picked up a pillow and smacked him in the face with it.

He shot up and jumped to his feet. "What? Who are you? Don't you touch her!"

I felt bad that he woke up ready to protect me, but driving him up a tree had just not been enough.

"Thanks for staying and all, but I've got to get to work." I grinned cheekily.

He stared back, scratching his hair which at this point could only be properly called a mop. He still managed to make it looked gorgeous though, which added to my fury.

He eyed me suspiciously. "Sweets, it's six thirty in the morning, you don't go in until ten."

Damn him and his knowledge of my schedule!

Wait a minute, how in the hell did he know that? And how had he been in here last night?

I tried to lie. "I'm going in early today, to make up for lost time."

He saw right through it.

"Liar." He grinned.

I receded. "Fine, I'm going to talk to someone."

He folded his arms, still standing. "Who?"

I huffed. "An old friend." I threw up my hands. "And who are you, my mom?"

He smirked. "Which old friend?"

I thought of Ranma in my head. His bright eyes, clouded over with lost emotion and hard times, shone bright in my head. His muscular arms and rock solid stomach made me blush with the thought of him. I felt a bit guilty for last night, but I would have to swallow my pride and say sorry if I was to get his help.

Hiroshi noticed the blush.

"Oh." He said, kind of flatly. "Him."

Jealous? I think so. Oh Akane, you wonderful seductress.

"Yup."

He paused for a second then smiled. "Uh, Akane?"

"Yeah?" I said, in a know-it-all voice.

"How are you gonna talk to him if you don't have his number or his address?"

What? Who did he think I was, not having a simple number or-

Damn it, he was right.

Jin! The guy I went shopping with, and hung out with the whole day, gave me his number. I could just phone that and pretend to talk to Ranma. It was written on the inside of my thigh, so as to not be shown in the dress and when I pulled up the shabby t-shirt, Hiroshi's eyes widened.

"Akane, so early in the morning?"

I sneered. That man only thought about one thing.

"Ranma gave it to me –uh- last night. Yeah, on our date."

Hiroshi stopped. "So, mystery man was Ranma?"

Hmm, should I tell him I went out with a man he is already threatened by, or tell him I got stuck up? Obviously, I'd lie my pants off, that is hypothetically since I wasn't wearing any pants.

"Yep!" I chirped.

I dialled in the number on the phone kept next to the couch and waited as it rang. I hoped Jin would go along with it. He had told me to phone him the next day and tell me how it went.

Hiroshi looked at me suspiciously.

"Get out, this is a private conversation." I chided.

If he did, I could just talk about anything for a while with him.

"Nope, this is part of security for your own good. If I left, someone could jump in the window and stab out your phone connection. That is, unless you have something to hide?" He kept his arms folded and sat back on the couch smugly.

I grinned and laughed nervously. "Nope, nothing at all!"

He nodded and waited for me to screw up.

Okay, screw him, Jin would go along hopefully.

I heard the rings. Three, until a chirpy voice picked up.

"Hey!" I practically yelled into the phone out of nervousness.

Hiroshi tilted his head in interest and I sneered at him and stuck out my tongue.

"You wish." He said.

Dick.

"Hello? Who's there?"

Oops! I had forgotten about Jin!"

"Hey! It's Akane. How are you?"

He answered quickly and nicely, "Akane? Oh, grocery store, gorgeous girl. Wow, that's a real popular name . . . So how did the date go?"

I stared at Hiroshi for a second. "Well, it didn't really 'go'."

Hiroshi couldn't know what I was talking about, so I could somehow talk to both of them, right?

When I had been younger, I could multitask like nobody's business, but the whole lying and talking to two people, one imaginary at the moment, really confused me.

"He didn't show? Yes he did. I know he did, I sent him there. Did you wear the dress?"

I nodded into the phone. "I had my coat on for a bit and then took it off. "

Hiroshi raised a brow and I shot out of my conversation.

"I had a great time though, Ranma, can I talk to you about something?" I screeched, overly cheerful into the phone.

There was silence on the other end. "Ranma? You want to talk to Ranma?"

I stared at Hiroshi. "Yep."

He was taunting me.

Jin said nothing for a few seconds and then a gruff voice interrupted the silence.

"Yo."

My stomach churned.

It had just woken up and was grouchy and probably all distraughtly sexy.

It was Ranma.

My mouth dropped and Hiroshi looked uncomfortable. "You okay?"

I nodded, slapping a stupid smile on my face again.

"I need to see you today, alright?" I said cheerfully.

Ranma was looking condescendingly at his phone; I knew he would, it was just like him to.

"How the hell did you get this number?"

I stared at the phone, ready to scream at him, when I noticed Hiroshi's perked ears.

"Oh around, y'know? Meet me at the Starbucks on 8th in fifteen." I paused while he said nothing. "Aw thanks, I had fun too, bye!"

I hung up and turned off the ringer, just in case he phoned back.

I smirked at Hiroshi and crossed my arms. "Well, I've got to go, but thanks for the security."

He hopped up and grabbed me in his arms, stroking up and down my left, and staring me in the eyes. Breathing down my neck, and cradling me in his arms made me feel like he was my shell. It all happened so fast that he made me lose my breath.

Bastard.

He made his voice gruff and sexy. "Sweets, be careful."

Then he kissed me on the forehead and grabbed his things on his way out, never looking back.

I needed a table fan.

* * *

I ordered my iced, tall, extra-caramel caramel macchiato and sipped up the yummy liquid. I sat outside.

It was a gorgeous sunny day, and the sun shone down on my face. The instant warmth was nice but made me want something I couldn't quite put my finger on.

It amazed me I made my way out of the apartment this morning. Someone was out to kill me, but I realized that for most of my life that had been the case. I wasn't going to let a little thing like severe death threats get in my way.

Someone pulled up another dark green plastic chair across from me and it suddenly got a lot warmed.

I perked.

"Hey Ranma." I greeted, not even having to look up from my drink.

His lips curled up. "Yo."

I looked up, with much pain. Okay, all I had to do was say sorry and he would help.

I breathed out. "Ranma, I'm sorry for blowing up."

He shrugged. "Meh, I deserved it."

He looked suspicious. "Why?"

What did he mean "why"? A girl could say sorry if she wanted to. Besides, even if I didn't want something I was definitely mature enough to say sorry anyway . . . probably.

I huffed up like a blowfish. "I'm mature Ranma; I can accept that it was wrong to douse you with water for being a big prick and leaving me at a very crucial moment, and emotionally scarring me for a very long time."

Okay, so that was a little emotional too.

He grinned. "Aren't you the little lady now, a debutante right?"

I stared back at him. He was wearing all black again; cargo pants, black t-shirt and black nylon vest over it.

Yum.

I shook my head to get the thoughts of him out.

"So, why'd ya call me here?" He asked, slyly taking my drink and sipping up half of it.

"Hey!" I yelled, grabbing at it with earnest.

You could get me a job smiling at dead people, stand me up on prom night, and even threaten to kill me, but if you take my Starbucks your ass is grass.

"Listen, I need your help." I told him.

It was damn hard swallowing the fact that I wanted to pummel him, but I sucked it up.

"With what?" He asked.

He rested back and folded his arms over his chest.

"Well, I've been sort of threatened . . . a few times now . . . those have to do with the break in. . . and I need your help."

He tensed. "What kind of threats?"

I looked up, guilty for no apparent reason. "Death threats."

It made my mouth dry and my body shake thinking about the note. I took it out of my pocket and handed it to him across the table. When our hands touched my eyes shot up for a glance at his peepers. I licked my lips nonchalantly and he watched them.

"You did that on purpose."

"No!" I jumped a bit and pulled back my hand.

He sat back with the note and studied it. "Liar."

I didn't say anything as he read it and his face darkened.

"Got any suspects?"

"Well, they knew about my blind date, and about, well, about Sayuri's murder."

He glanced up. "How long ago was that?"

"Years ago, but it still hurts today. She was a reporter, and we were good friends."

My eyes teared up a bit at the memory. There were far worse things than being stood up at prom.

"I loved her like a sister."

"Did you ask Hiroshi about that?" He asked, pocketing the note.

"No, why?"

I knew why. Hiroshi used to go out with Sayuri. Then again, Hiroshi used to go out with **everyone**.

"They seemed kinda close last time I checked."

"Last time you checked they were worrying about finals, Ranma."

He rolled his eyes. I didn't mind because it showed I finally got under his skin.

"Babe."

"Mhm Ranma, that's right. Please, let's not get into this. I brought it up, I'm sorry."

I was such a good person, stopping the fighting. Go me.

"Yeah, you're really bad like that."

WHAT?

"Are you kidding me? I can't believe you would even _say_ th-"

I stopped mid sentence because he had hung his head back and started laughing.

"Babe, I was jokin'. Damn, you're easy to piss off."

I smiled. You had to when a boy like Ranma Saotome laughed. He was contagious, like a virus.

"So are you gonna help or what? I've gotta get to work."

He coughed to clear his head and scratched the back of his head adorably. "Yeah, well it seems I have been hired around Nerima so I'll be here for a bit. I might as well help ya out."

He stared up at me with half lidded eyes and a dark voice. "For a price."

I gulped. "Like my head?"

He grinned and stood up, walked over to my side of the table, and picked me up to stand in front of him. He tipped my head back with his delicately experience fingers and pulled me close, rubbing his hand up and down the small of my back, circling and making me all buzzy. He closed in, his hair falling into his eyes a bit, but framing it perfectly. I was hopelessly lost in him. After staring into my eyes for a few seconds he tugged me in and pulled me into a kiss fuelled with more emotion than ever before experienced by either of us. We rushed at the beginning, frantically loving the fact that we were able to touch without interference by some outside force, but slowly patterned into a sway of deep, luscious kisses. I melded into his form and pulled him in closer with my hands in his hair and around his neck. He suddenly kiss me with such urgency, such frequency, that I actually felt my knees buckle; and then he pulled away.

I fell over into my chair and pushed the hair out of my eyes. He stood in front of me smiling with his hands on his hips.

I wasn't gonna let him know he made me into jelly.

"Oh, so that's your advanced payment?" I asked, looking up at him, trying to hide the blush and the fact that I was impressed beyond belief.

Damn, but he was **good**.

"Nope." He smirked, stuffing his hands in his pockets. "That was for last night; and by the by," he swooped down and whispered in my ear, "That was nothing."

Oh my.

* * *

A/N: Can I still have the lyrics at the beginning of each chapter or is that not allowed now? Thanks for the reviews guy, you rule. This one was a tad longer and took a bit longer to write. I've been working manically this week which means less time to write. So thanks for reading, and please tell me what you think!

Erie Maxwell: I agree "dear" is creepy, eh?

Vaniah: I am trying to get that Akane _has_ matured a bit, but not a lot. Plus, I'm writing from reading the manga, not only the anime.Yeah, this update wasn't as speedy, but I'm busy at work (Dairy Queen is a cruel mistress)

Bubbly Minx: Oh the Ranma and Akane sexual tension will begin and go on. Yet, so will the Hiroshi tension. Hmm, interesting plot: Ranma out to kill Akane . . . could it be true?

Misakichi1: There you go; updating is done and done.

Motokonobaka: Jin's an original character. I've never watched FAKE, heard it was excellent though. I'll definitely look into it now.

Reaper2040: Thanks, I love Grosse Pointe Blank. I was worried it was too Evanovich, so I'm putting in some other elements, hope you notice! Excellent scenario there, I love your ideas.

Ikerana: Oh gee, I haven't exactly figured out when the reunion is yet. I'm thinking it will be the last few chapters, the big shebang at the end.

Angela Jewell: Akane and Ranma _are_ nuts, and so anything could happen. Watching Akane kick butt is such fun!

WhiteTigress666: Thanks so much; and her outburst was really fun to write too.


	7. I Told Them You Were Living Downtown

He only thought he was going for the thrill of a ride

Wasn't in the plan to be gone for long

But he keeps looking back over his shoulder

He knows that something might go wrong

The ride, it ain't smooth that's for sure

Strange mood, what is the cure

He's got that feeling of impending doom

Like being trapped in a casket inside a tomb

"Death Defied by Will" Eagle Eye Cherry

* * *

"Ranma?" A voice called from behind me. I smirked and swung around. Batting off the ladies had not been my forte as a teen but it suited me fine now. 

"Yo." I said coolly, whizzing around with a sexy grin on my face, turning to complete horror as a short haired, brown eyed girl looked back, "Bu-Akane . . . hi."

I started sweating bullets right about then. Not actual bullets, of course, because they could be used to shoot me out of my misery and that would be positive.

Her eyes batted at me. She was trying to seduce me again in the most mixed up, awkward way imaginable.

The way she flirted only meant one thing; there was another guy. I wasn't the only one clouding her vision and filling her many daydreams anymore. That man, I figured quickly, was Hiroshi.

I had seen her with him already; first at the hospital at er side.

I had not decided what to think just yet.

I waited, anticipating her next word. Simply amazing. Out of all the places to meet her again, to catch her when she was off guard so I'd have the upper hand, she had to be here; shopping for what looked to be carrots.

"Ranma," She repeated, obviously forcing herself to reply. She looked like a deer caught in head lights. I presume when she said my name she didn't expect me to turn around and be **me**.

And that got me thinking (which is never a good idea if you're a Saotome), right then, if she had seen me before. You know, while I was gone. From the grocery store to her dreams, if I had been there, what had that meant? If I was the man driving too slow on the highway, the one mowing my lawn in my underwear, any man she had stopped and stared at for a second, recognizing for a moment and then forgetting.

Being on her mind made mine wander. Of course, almost daily, the possibilities of what might have been if I had stayed heeled like a well trained dog to my side. We could have had kids by now, running the dojo and bickering like an old couple; showing some things never change.

That was the part that made me leave though; the change, it was too much for me. There were other things that night; a conversation or two that very night, for example, but the truth of the matter was that I was horribly afraid of change. It probably had to do with dealing with a slight change every time I hit cold water, but I couldn't blame everything on a curse I didn't even _have_ anymore.

I had seen her earlier today, wooed and wowed her with a kiss, and enjoyed being with her a lot. Every minute I'm with her, I hurt a little bit more; I miss her, it's obvious and embarrassing, but I didn't realize until I got back just how much she had me. I would've taken a bullet for her, still would to this day, and she had no idea.

Jin says we've been hired, but won't tell me in what way. I'm taking this as a positive thing because if it was a hit he would probably have told me already. So, that meant security or possibly a bounty job; unless, of course, he was hiding something from me. I thought about the idea of the hit being someone I knew, but shook it out of my head. I didn't truly **know** anybody here anymore.

I guessed she was waiting for a reply.

"Yo." I said.

I found, in life, the simplest answers had turned out to be the best.

She stared at the only thing in her basket, a carrot that I had been staring at, and found the need to explain. "I'm actually on a diet today." She stopped and stared at the thing. "Y'know what; screw it, weight watchers can _watch_ themselves grow poorer without my dollar-a-day."

She laughed and waited for my reaction. She really was wondering about me now.

This is what I missed about her. This needless pressure she put against herself and then dismissal of it in another few seconds. She would sign up for this type of thing and then give up immediately when a big piece of pie was staring her in the eye seductively.

"Ya got no will power." I mused.

She stuck out her tongue and took the carrot out of her basket, staring from side to side since we were in the soup aisle, and stuffed the veggie behind a bunch of instant noodles. She was so horribly not nonchalant that I coughed out a laugh unintentionally. She turned to me and smiled, bobbing her head and then resting it in place afterwards.

Damn, this girl could make any cat swoon.

"So, any leads?" She asked, in full spy mode now.

"Yeah." I relayed. "Don't go out and always lock your doors."

She rolled her eyes. "I learned that in grade one Ranma; I mean things that I'll actually listen to."

Was she crazy? People wanted her _dead_, and not for a reason either of us knew very much about yet, and I had caught her out and about alone today _twice_.

"Listen up Babe, you might look hot enough to be a secret agent, but you're not. If I was a bad guy I could'a killed ya twice by now."

She tilted her head down and looked up at me with Bambi eyes. "I thought you **were** the bad guy."

I shrugged, trying to ignore the urges to grab at her. "I have my redeemin' moments."

"Ah, yes." She murmured, staring at the canned soups.

I could tell her mind had wandered to the "redeeming moment" we had shared earlier today.

Thing was: I liked kissing Akane. There was something else in there, aside from the majesty of a normal kiss there was this other feeling, this thing that I couldn't quite put my finger on yet. It scared me a bit, but don't tell anybody, alright?

I couldn't help asking her for more. "So, what'cha doin' tonight; out stripping for the local chapter of the Boy Scouts?"

She sneered. "They're on a camping trip. No, I'm going to have dinner with a friend."

A friend. She hesitated, only meaning one thing: Hiroshi.

"What time he get off?"

She looked a bit shocked.

I laughed. "Of work, what time does he get off work?"

She had such a dirty mind, and I loved her for it, in a slack, "I love cheese" sort of way. You can say you love things like cameras and hotels, but you don't wanna marry them.

She smiled a bit, trying to hide it. "Five, and he's gonna bring take out. Wait; wait a minute, why did you think it was a guy?"

She huffed a bit and I smirked.

"Because I know ya, Babe." I told her.

I did and she knew it.

She rolled her eyes.

"So, where are you going tonight, out to steal the hearts of young girls everywhere?"

I looked back, smiling. "Actually, I'm goin' home."

Her eyebrows rose.

"Not yours, dummy, I'm gonna say hi to Pops and Mom."

". . . are you now?" She asked quietly, after a short pause. Her eyes flickered to the floor, she looked slightly guilty.

I couldn't help wondering why, but let it wash over me.

There was a pause and I knew it was my time to leave.

I grabbed the carrot, pointed it at her, and tsked. "That's bad for ya, Babe."

Walking past her, I slipped the carrot back into her basket.

She raised an eyebrow.

"Stay healthy." I winked.

Then I was gone.

* * *

Ignoring the fact that I had a job to do, which I actually did not know about yet, I decided to try and dig up some leads on Akane's stalker. 

She was getting groceries, leading me to believe she was going to work late today, so I thought a friendly visit to the morgue would be beneficial.

I waltzed into the place and immediately froze, the door swinging shut behind me causing a slight jump forward to ensure all my parts were kept in mint condition, not a single bruise or sign of abashment by the huge wooden planks.

There was light, although in only slight amounts. I looked up to where the blue hue originated and found tiny windows down each side of the hall, like tiny compartments for birds to watch our funny ceremonies.

It was because of those peeping windows, and the light shining out as much as it could, that I saw the shadows ahead of me.

It was too Godfather to comment on so I merely smiled just the slightest bit.

Light shone dimly on the man's face, for a split second showing a slimy grin, invoking him to step forward into the full light of the window.

He stood a little shorter than I was; everyone always came up short next to me in some way or another. He was thin, sinewy, and had a small moustache that threatened to turn into a handlebar moustache if given free range. In contrast, the hair atop his head was, for the most part and aside from each fringe above his ears, was missing in action, but yet still black in hue.

He bowed curtly. "Ranma Saotome, I presume."

He did not ask me, it was a statement meant to strike the slightest fear in my heart.

It only made me want to get to know him better.

When people confronted me, tried to push me around, they ended up with tags tied to their toes; something told me he knew that. Or, like most people, didn't know the half of it.

I nodded. "Marv."

He smiled an oily, Grinch-like grin. "My reputation precedes me, then?"

I stared back into his beady little eyes. Yeah, I could take him easily.

"That ain't always a good thing, buddy."

He nodded courteously. "Shall I turn the lights on, then? I didn't expect anyone of importance to come in for a while."

I looked up from where my gaze had faulted the picture of himself on the wall.

"You were expectin' that Tendo chick, weren't ya?"

He nodded again, turning his back to me. "So, the lights, then?"

"No, keep 'em off." I instructed.

He was out of the light now, but I could tell he wasn't hovering anywhere near the light switch.

"Like it in the dark, eh?"

Oh, double entendres.

I smirked at his try at a friendly joke. "Yeah, the mystery and all that junk suits me fine."

"Oh?" He replied, trying his best to act lightly shocked. "I thought you like the chance to hide in the dark. See, anything can happen to someone when they don't see it coming."

Was that a threat?

"Lucky I got eyes on the back of my head then."

"Oh, yes." He agreed, smiling that oily smile.

". . . with night vision." I added, or more spat in his direction.

I would never actually spit unless the person really deserved it because I was a man among men, not a camel among thieves.

"So, why do I have the pleasure of your acquaintance."

I replied curtly. "You remember Sayuri Okana."

He did.

"Oh, that poor girl that drowned a few years back? Yes, I think she was in the green room. Sad really, I heard she was going to be a grand reporter."

My voice was acidic. "_Was_."

He shrugged, I saw his shoulders momentarily come into the light and then vanish again. "She was needed for a higher purpose I suppose."

I bit back, even though it was what he had wanted. It took all my self control not to stomp him right this moment. "Or maybe there was a little divine swindling going on and she found out."

"Now Ranma, my boy, you must understand that in my business, to survive, I must look at each death with a positive aspect. If I didn't, well, I'd be living on the streets right now."

"Sure, whatever's best for moral, eh?" I said.

"Well, what was it about her you wanted to know?" He was getting edged by my questioning, shifting his weight and sighing.

"Nothing, just wanted to let ya know that if anything like that happens again," Now I stepped forward, "and I mean to _anyone_, you're gonna be the guy to blame."

He now stepped into the light, the oily grin stripped from his face to bare his grueling, smug mustached face.

"Ooh, is that your impression of the big bad wolf, Ranma?" He hissed.

I stepped even closer, poking him in the chest. "Just a warning, watch your house, it ain't made of bricks."

And then I turned and left. Man, I really needed to blow some steam.

* * *

I got to the address I had pulled out of the phone book at eleven thirty, hung around outside for about ten minutes, and then made myself ring the bell. 

I stuffed my hands in my pockets, closed my eyes and counted back from ten while sighing heavily.

I was at six when the door swung open.

A ten year old kid answered.

He had short black hair, splayed ever which way, and big grey eyes, nothing near my majesty, but still quite nice.

He looked at me, standing a few feet shorter and nearly growled. "Whaddya want?"

I smirked, this kid was familiar.

"Ya know where Genma Saotome is , partner?"

He puffed his chest and I rested my hand on my hip, taking off my gorgeous new black glasses that made me look so damn hot.

"Why do you wanna know?" He asked offensively.

"Slow down tiger, I ain't here to fight ya." I looked him up and down. "That'd be over in seconds."

"Yeah right, I'm in training to be the best martial artist in the world!" He shot back.

If I was a girl I'd think his ego was cute, it was bordering on annoying now.

It didn't take much to figure out this kid was in training with my father. I guessed the old man had finally got off his ass and started teaching again.

Plus, I was the best martial artist ever, and there really couldn't be two.

"Listen kid, just get me Genma, savvy? You don't wanna see me angry."

That sounded so incredibly Hulk that I smiled.

The kid wavered. "How do I know yer not here just to steal the dojo and junk?"

I rolled my eyes. I hated showing off . . . most of the time.

I noted the vase in the hallway where he stood, on the same table, with a few slight dents in one side, was a leash; a bowl near it on the floor, after inspection, with the name "Ramen" on it. There was a coat rack hanging close by with a few strands of pearls hanging out of the pocket.

I flicked my glasses, harsh enough to get some real speed on it but not to break glass and the vase tipped over as a light "ting" was heard. The vase's contents splashed down over the side into the bowl. Almost immediately, paws were heard scratching the hard wood and in a few seconds a dog was in sight. The dog jumped at the water, sliding too far and banging its head into the table, flinging the sunglasses up at the coat rack, looping the pearls in the process, hitting off the wooden post and flinging back into Ranma's hands.

"These Mrs. Saotome's pearls, kid?" I asked.

Man was that complicated and cool.

He nodded, confused at what had happened in the last few seconds. The dog stayed back, busy slurping up the water.

I stepped in. "I'll give 'em back personally."

The door closed behind me and I walked into the next room, searching for the kitchen, the sounds of pots and pans clanging excitedly approaching. The smile on my face grew just as fast.

Suddenly, right outside the door to the kitchen, something clamped onto my leg and held itself there.

"Hey!" I yelled, dragging my leg with me into the next room. "What the hell's yer problem ya nut job?"

What was wrong with this kid? At the moment he was biting my leg, which did hurt a little when the bastard's tiny pincers attacking my kneecap.

I was about to fling him off when I heard a pot clash to the ground.

Me and the runt stopped and stared at the woman in front of us. She had some grey hair now, lots of it actually, and a few more wrinkles. She looked young though, fit and healthy.

She was breathless. "Ranma?"

I smiled. "Hiya Mom."

The kid let go of my leg and fell to the ground with an astonished look on his face.

My Mom walked up to me, cupped my face in her hands, stared deep into my eyes, and took a step back.

"Where in the **hell** have you been?" She asked me.

Then she represented her feelings in a totally different way.

She slapped me across the face with more force than many people gave her credit for.

I stood there, stunned, watching the tears in her eyes and feeling the burn on my cheek.

We stood like that, staring each other in the eyes for a long moment.

The silence was broken with the boy speaking. "What'd ya do that for, Ma?"

I swiveled around. "Ma?"

* * *

A/N: Sorry for taking so long but work and school have collided into an evil spiral of time-consuming darkness. So yes, next chapter shall be out faster. Thanks for all the reviews guys, you rock. Any questions or comments are welcome! 

Jace3: Cool, thanks for the review. Tell me, how did you think it would go?

Yasha's-Gurl: Ranma _is_ one sexy beast, eh?

Vaniah: Oh I know, and now it's getting hotter so more people want cold stuff and I have to make even _more_ ice cream! I complain, but it gets me money and everyone there is awesome. So yes, on the story front, I'd love to hear more theories. Although, I'm not commenting on them because really, you don't want to know if you're right or wrong yet, do you?

Bubbly Minx: Yes, I love writing for both the men in her life, but I don't know if they'll meet for another couple chapters since I've got other things lined up, but look for it soon! Love hearing theories, but can't deny or agree: I'm like a politician.

Livvy22: Car explosion are really fun, but I don't think that's inventive enough for Akane's life, eh? And yes, I get a lot of inspiration from Janet Evanovich. I love her work. Her new book comes out June 21st, I'm so excited!

Ikerana: Glad to cheer you up. Well, I love writing saucy scenes, so there shall be more to come!

Innortal: If you think about it, Akane must of racked up a lot of stalkers over her lifetime, and Ranma is so one of them, eh?

Starwind: Thanks, I hope you continue reading!

Angela Jewell: Cool, what'd you think of it? I like black humor so it really worked for me. I love action-romance-comedies.

WhiteTigriss666: Who do you think wants to kill Akane; I'd love to hear more theories!

Please read and review; I'll always get back to you.


	8. Drivin' All The Old Men Crazy

With the clouds above their heads

Go back to their lonesome beds and leave them

She falls on you like rain

When will she fall again?

Oh just before the dawn appears, draining all the blue away

And just before all your perspectives change

Isn't it strange?

"**One Long Pair of Eyes" by** **Hitchcock Robyn and the Egyptians **

* * *

"Yes." Mom said curtly, picking up her fallen pan.

Now, you must understand, this was a little bit of a shock to me. This kid was around ten, she must've been pregnant while I was here and either didn't know or didn't say anything.

I was a little cold in return, matching her attitude towards me. "Is it Dad's?"

Her mouth hung open with indignation; she took a step forward and was ready to strike. Suddenly, she bowed her head, closed her eyes and opened them a few seconds later with watery trims.

"What kind of question is that?" She asked.

"Mom, you didn't see him much, it's valid."

It was.

"He is, of course, your father's son." She stared me down, biting at something I didn't know. "Seems his sons always have strong minds."

The kid hoped in from of his mom, _my_ mom. "Watch out, I'm faster than I look!"

He hopped at me and I swivelled out of the way, feeling the breeze of his small body by my right shoulder.

There was a muffled grunt and the kid probably felt a sort of levitation in progress. It wasn't a new technique though, it was me.

I grabbed him by the scruff of his shirt before he landed on the ground. "Nice move kid, but I'm a professional."

I looked up at Mom and she gave me a look. I let down the geek and rolled my eyes.

She almost smiled. I was making progress.

"Sit down." She instructed, guiding me to the table. "I'll make tea."

"Naw, I'm only gonna be here for a sec." I called as she walked to the kitchen.

"Then you'll have time for at least _five_ cups at your speed." She smirked.

Maybe I got a little bit of my smirk from her. I had always thought it was my father that I inherited that winning trait from, but perhaps my Mom's past was more interesting I'd previously thought.

Or they were both crazy devils.

She was back almost instantly, sitting across and pouring my tea.

There was a moment of silence when we first got our tea, smelling its scent and reflecting upon nothing in particular.

"Well, I found the cure to my curse." I told her, pride obvious.

She looked up from her tea with interest. "Really now, did you? How so?"

She asked in a way that was half interested, half ceremony.

I continued. "I got it from the black market in America, believe it or not; it's part of the reason I'm here today, where's Dad?"

She put down her cup almost instantly. My senses heightened.

"Why?" She asked, suspicious.

I paused, staring at her furrowed brows.

"I have some left, for him."

"…Why?"

I didn't want her to know the rest of the story.

One of those conversations, the ones I had had before I left, was with him. My own father told me to get up and go.

How could I say no?

She was stalling for some reason.

My eyes were slits and I went to crack her. "Call me a good Samaritan, a man among men."

She flinched at that.

"What's that mean, Mom?" The kid asked from the doorframe.

He was in a white gi, frayed at the edges and sweating a bit. His hair was unruly, and his feet were padding at the door; he couldn't stand still.

She turned to him, so much love in her eyes I felt a pang of jealousy, and shooed him upstairs. "Go upstairs darling, you've got to be ready in an hour."

I raised a brow as the kid left. I had a few new questions. "One, how did he not know about bein' a 'man among men'? Two, where the hell is he goin'?"

She stared at her tea, swirling the contents a bit before speaking. "Ranma," she started to sniffle and a different pang was felt in my heart, "he is going to his ballet recital."

My shock was apparent. My mother, the crazy woman who chased me with a big sword, was enrolling her youngest son in _ballet lessons_?

She noted my confusion. "You see, a man among men leaves . . . they all do. I want to _keep_ my son; I love him too much to let him leave too."

This hurt. Sure, I was being a bit militant with my responses but she was just so cold to me. Now she says she loves him too much to let him leave, where the hell was that when _I _had to go on training trips at the age of four?

This phrase, becoming a man among men, had shadowed my life, my entire existence. She didn't want to be the blame for it obviously, but her and my father, everyone around me, had always stressed it.

"Why're **you** allowed to be angry? By consequence of death by the hand of my mother, I was told to become a man among men, or else. Tryin' to get outta it?" I asked, voice rising with my blood.

She turned to the door. "He's all I have left of a good, civilized world." She turned to me.

It shocked me. Her face, her old face, was desperate instead of angry.

"Ranma, I can _save_ him!" She revealed, eyes bulging.

I pounded my hand on the table, not being able to take anymore. "Well why the _hell_ couldn't ya _save_ me?"

She recoiled a bit.

I was a fucking lost cause to her.

For some reason, I got the feeling my father was going to come up behind me and give me the pounding of my life for saying such things to his wife.

But I was smart. I was attentive. I was a Saotome.

I stared out the tiny open window. It had no curtains but I still felt the wind's presence.

"He's dead, isn't he?" I asked, border lining stating the fact.

She crumbled, losing her ceremony and gentle voice.

It took me a second to decide, but I knew I had to go to her side now. I was there in a flash, letting her cry on my shoulder, feeling the moisture of her tears on my shirt. She clung to my arm and sobbed heavier than anyone I had ever seen in my life.

I was vacant though; I couldn't feel a thing anymore. It was like on missions, setting up the gun, aiming, and pulling the trigger. No sane mind could do it, I had been told a million times, and it was true. Now, don't feel bad for the people I've killed, they did awful things and deserved what they got.

Chances are, I show up knocking on your door with a Magnum, you did something real bad to get me there. Especially at the price I charge.

Still, it _had_ been my Father; the reason, the root, of most of the messed up shit that occurred in my entire existence. Well, leaving out most of the last ten years, but even he catalysed that.

I had to know. "How did he . . . die?"

The word felt taboo.

She sniffed and unclenched from my sleeve. "He ate some bad fish."

Funny: how horridly suiting.

Pops would've liked that.

It was hard to think of someone as brave and large as my father defeated by a tiny, scaled creature.

People didn't know him as well as I did; they saw the scared old man he portrayed, but I heard things in the dojo some nights, the lights on, and everyone else was asleep. He kept with it, strong but silent about his skill, never knowing when he would need it.

The characters he played were comfy for him, he had always liked to play them up; and slowly, he had somewhat turned into what he had created as a ploy.

Food had always been my father's weakness. On one trip, in some deserted part of Hiroshima, Pop ran out of ramen and any other food for that matter, and decided to sell my wondrous skills. He would make a pit of fire and tell people to watch me dance on it. I would jump up above the pit and do some moves atop the burning flames. I never touched them, except once and it was entirely not my fault, and we made lots of needed dough.

I didn't shed a tear though, I had become a man now and that wasn't really our thing, but I felt it. Inside, where nobody could watch me, I cried harder than she did.

I was out of the house in five minutes, only wasting time staring at the family portrait; three happy Saotomes: a little boy, a father, and a dutiful mother.

Obviously, there was no room in there for a fourth; an abandoned son, someone who vanished and returned too late.

Oh my, but I wanted to kill someone.

* * *

"What up, Gangsta?" Jin joked into his phone.

I rolled my eyes, frustrated. "I'm about ready to do some fucking pro-bono work, that's what!"

I heard a muffled laugh. "Bad day, then?"

"You don't know the half of it."

"I can beat it." He challenged.

He knew I loved a challenge. "Alright, shoot."

We both smirked at the pun.

"I'm thinking of seeing the ol' family tree tomorrow." He sighed into the phone.

I stopped smiling. "Are ya sure?"

He stayed quiet, but I could tell he was nodding.

"Want company?" I asked, knowing the answer already.

"No, I gotta do this on my own." He said; all the energy drained from his voice. "I gotta take it at face value, I guess."

We paused for a second.

Jin's parents were part of the reason he left. He didn't talk about them, and didn't express any want of doing so in the future. I knew though, I was attentive and a Saotome, and it didn't take long to pick up that Jin had wanted to make contact again. I knew they did something that night that he had to leave the country to avoid, and now, he was finally ready to confront it.

I finally said something.

"Wanna go get drunk at the graveyard?"

There was a long, muted pause.

". . . Yeah, sure, why not?"

"Meet at the old graveyard by Wita Street at seven." I told him, relaying the information muttered to me by my mother.

We hung up at the same time and I headed to the nearest liquor store.

Boy, I was lucky to have a friend like Jin.

* * *

"We are such fucking _losers_!" I laughed, sitting with my legs up by my knees and leaning on the family gravestone.

Jin laughed surreptitiously. "We are! Who gets drunk at a graveyard?"

We were now laughing so hard, sitting on either side of the family stone; it was hard to breath at moments.

"At noon!"

"Yeah, people might show up. Oh shit, people might show up! The cops might come! What're we gonna do?" Jin yelled too loud, bolting up and then falling in place.

Standing was a levied task at this point.

I smiled distantly. "We'll kill the cops, it's kinda what we do."

Jin flopped beside me. Staring at the many bottles in front of us.

"I'm real nervous about going home tomorrow Ran-z-ma."

I stared into the bottle I held. "Ya sure ya don't want me comin'? I could pretend to be your lover."

He coughed out a laugh, almost at tears. "That's why I left Ranma, I told 'em and they threw me out. What the shit is that?"

"Yeah," I yelled with much more anger than I truly felt at this moment. "What the shit is that?"

We stared at each other for a second there and then just started laughing. Not fake, curt laughs, but deep throated, sloppy, drunk laughs. We banged our fists on the ground and Jin shimmied back to his side of the gravestone.

"Oh man," Jin smiled, "we are **such** losers."

"Yeah," I grinned, "we **totally** are."

I'd note later that we were articulating quite well for "drunk losers", but at the moment I wasn't doing much thinking at all.

"So," he burped, "you're gonna be buried here too, eh?"

I shrugged to no one in particular. "Seems my place was been taken by a little runt."

"_Was_ been?" He pointed out.

I didn't get it. "Yeah."

"Man that sucks." He said genuinely.

He popped his head around the stone to look at the back of my head. "Want me to kill him?"

I chuckled. "Naw, my Mom's gonna take care of that. Dude, he's in ballet!"

He was shocked. "Your Mom put him in ballet? That freakin' rocks! Ballet is wicked!"

I raised an eyebrow, or at least attempted to. "What?"

He continued. "Think of all the techniques you could make up, all the balance you could get."

I realized this and went bugged eyed.

"Shit, _I_ wanna take ballet!" I said, exasperated.

He snorted. "Copy cat."

"Shut up!" I said half-hearted, a permanent silly smile on my face.

He laughed.

"Thanks dude," I told him, "I really needed this."

The tone was getting serious again and we both didn't really notice.

Then he spoke: "You swear like a sailor when you're drunk."

This accusation seemed to be monstrous in proportion to me. "Shit, do I? Oh man, I do! Crap, okay I'll stop."

I could sense his smile, even with a thin wall of cement between us.

We both heard the sudden crackle of twigs behind us, and even in our drunken haze we swivelled to look immediately.

There were two men; a short and fat one, and a tall and large one. Both were in navy blue suits with boring navy blue ties on a white shirt. They looked grim and, even in their business attire, a bit dirty.

I didn't like the look of both of them. Jin didn't either, but we didn't let on.

"Hello boys." I greeted, trying to sound as drunk as I could.

Their eyes widened and they looked at each other for a second.

The tall one spoke first. "Shit Robbie, they're drunk!"

The small one, obviously more dominant than the tall one spoke next. "Good, the easier to kill 'em."

The tall one nodded. "It just won't be as much fun, is all."

Robbie nodded and stared at the two men, lopsided and heads hanging on either side of the tombstone.

"Maybe it's not them. Hey, are you two Saotome, Ranma and Mako, Jin." He asked, pointing a finger at each namesake.

Jin looked up, smiling sloppily. "Unfortunately."

Robbie and his tall partner seemed slighted by this, but threw it off as drunken banter.

"Why?" Ranma asked, not darkening his expression but raising his guard.

"Well, we've been sent to kill you!" The tall one smiled cheerily.

Robbie smacked him in the side. "Remember, we wanted the element of fucking surprise!"

"Oh," the tall one stared at the ground and then to the boys, "just kidding?"

Ranma smirked. "Too late for that, why do you wanna kill us?"

Even though I was drunk I intended to get right to the point.

The bozos looked to each other and then shrugged. Their element of surprise had been used up so they decided to at least explain why they were about to end the lives of the two incapacitate men in front of them.

The fat one spoke. "Remember the little job you pulled on Rico Maniero?"

I racked my brain. Usually I remembered jobs; erasing them later, but remembering the titles.

"Oh!" Jin shouted, jumping up with excitement. "The book thing!"

What the hell? 'Book thing'? What was he talking about?

"Wha? Jin, ya ain't makin' sense." I slurred, rubbing my eyes.

The boys in front of us chuckled.

"Oh yes he is." The tall one sang.

I gave him a look, waiting for an explanation.

He chuckled. "First Edition copy of Pride & Prejudice. Ring any bells?"

Oh. That.

I feigned memory.

They continued, hungry to explain: "You were hired to kill a democratic leader in our employer's wonderful house. The spot chosen: the library. It was supposed to be clean and curt. While he was giving a speech, actually."

Jin interrupted. "He was holding the damn book! How were we supposed to shoot through the book and into his head? Really now, it is quite obvious you boys haven't been through much school, but you must at least have some common sense. Bullets don't curve around certain objects, they aren't remote controlled . . . yet."

The men were a bit confused.

I smirked.

Oh Jin, you're getting all flustered and pink and hilarious. It was quite adorable. Too bad there wasn't a gay bar in the graveyard; he would've been all up in that.

"Enough talk." They yelled in unison. "Got any last words, men?"

"Yeah," I said grimly, hating every second of it.

In unison, Jin and me stood up, shakily and wobbly of course, but we were up. We had a bottle in each hand and I sighed, turning my head up to look at them.

Jin looked up as well, a smirk on his face, ready for a fight. He wobbled a bit and steadied himself on the gravestone.

He was buzzing, I could feel his aura.

"Ya know Ranma, I'm thinking I really need this." Jin said.

I nodded, still staring into the eyes of the men I would now have to face. "Me too, and it is kinda pro-bono I guess."

Jin nodded in agreement, staring down the oddified men.

"Yet," I began, "they are pretty dumb, we could classify it as a mercy killing."

Jin nodded in agreement as the men started to realize what I meant. "For crimes against humanity: being that stupid."

"Hey!" The big one yelled. "Why are ya calling us stupid?"

I smiled. "Well for one, you let us in on every side of your plan."

"Two, it is the middle of the freaking day." Jin added.

"In plain site of the good people of Nerima." I continued.

"Three, there's a pretty good chance that you've only got a hand gun each." I noted.

"Four," Jin smirked. "We're the Dynamic Duo: renown around the world as highly dangerous, c'mon."

They looked embarrassed and pulled each gun out and pointed them at us.

This was just too easy.

"So, what about those final words?" The fat one yelled, desperately trying to induce fear. "And shut up, we _are_ not dumb! We got a gun each and all _you _losers have are a couple bottles. Plus, you're drunk offa your knockers."

I sighed. Jin was flinching with excitement.

I looked up at the cold eyes of the fat man in front of me, Robbie, with real emotion. I was starting to get less fun out of this, less of an edge. It was a challenge and I had conquered it. Now, they sent drones to come get me, no doubt there would be plenty more later.

"I'm sorry."

And then we pounced.

I was in charge of taking out the tiny one, the one with a mouth half a mile wide. I became completely detached from emotion and was highly aware of my surroundings. Jin and I jumped on top of the tombstone.

"Ya got anythin' but a gun, by chance?" I asked him.

He shook his head and, with the forceful move, fell off the tombstone and down to the ground.

The men cocked their guns.

I stood tall, stared at the bottle in my hand and reached into my pocket. The bottle caps were still inside my jacket pocket. I withdrew two and, in a split second, forcefully threw them at the two men.

Each hit their target, the hand with each gun in it, with such force that the spiked edges remained in their hands.

Both men screamed and, in their recoil, Jin and I jumped at them, a bottle in each hand.

Jin was first to strike, hopping up to the tall man and smashing his bottle into the man's face. Blood started to clamour.

I felt myself turn from blue to grey. The area where I couldn't care if someone was made of goo. They were simply a target, nothing less and nothing more.

Now that Jin had smashed the bottle into a jagged edged weapon, whilst injuring the man he had intended to in the first place, he pounced with his new weapon, attacking the man bloody quickly.

My target was getting up, angrier than ever, seething from the ears.

"You dumb bastard, I'm gonna kill you." He screamed.

I sighed deadpanned. "You really shouldn't lie like that so close to your death, it's bad for the soul."

I ran forward, bottle in hand, tripping a bit and then striking down in the same fashion Jin took.

I was drunk though, so I missed. The bottle went right by his head. I was stunned for a second, not knowing what to do next before my instincts kicked in.

I was on the ground now. I noted the tree two feet away and stood fast.

"Why don't ya go get your gun, Robbie?" I asked, trying to buy time.

He rolled up his sleeves with his better hand. "'Cause yer a special cause now, that little bottle cap's gonna leave a scar."

"Oh," I nodded, inching toward the tree, "I think the colors contrast your eyes quite nicely; you should keep it in."

He growled and ran at me. I moved too slowly.

"Ranma," Jin yelled, "What's wrong with you? You should be done by now!" He scolded while taking care of the big guy and dragging him toward the near by bush. "You got a lighter?"

I rolled my eyes as I battled the man on top of me, in a strangle hold at that moment "Kinda busy."

He sighed and whipped out his.

I smirked. "I thought you –gack- quit?"

I punched the man off of me and swooped under the tree, grabbing a branch and, breaking it off, effectively secreted a spear.

He stared and smirked, running at me with all his force.

Okay, I couldn't miss this time. I watched him approach and just as he came within eight inches of me I plunged the branch into his chest.

Jin looked an in awe. "He's not a vampire, Ranma. Jeez."

I turned to him. "You stabbed yours repeatedly!"

He conceded. "Well, he was gonna kill me."

I nodded. "True."

He handed me the bottled top and I handed him part of the stick. I carefully placed the bottle in his hand and Jin did the same with the other man.

I stared down at myself. I had bruises, a few small cuts from the struggle, but not that much blood on me.

Jin was a different story.

"How do I look, Buddy?"

"It looks like all the ketchup in the world came to die and they chose you as their burial plot."

He nodded. "Good. Very."

He didn't realize he was supposed to say that the other way around.

Sure it was self-defense, but something was eating away inside of me.

"What would ya say if I told ya I might be retiring after this job?"

He smirked and slapped my back as we left the graveyard. "I'd say I'd be inclined to do the same."

I smiled.

"And that you'd said that a million times before." He added.

I frowned at that.

He playfully punched me. "You're bored is all, we just beat those guys and we're drunk. I mean, really, it's like those smart kids in school; we're not being challenged."

I nodded and shook the feeling off. "Right, that's all: boredom."

"C'mon, let's go get some ice cream . . . after I change I suppose."

I smirked, my mood agreeable now. "They probably will think somethin's up what with the cuts and blood and such, but you can chance it if ya want."

He rolled his eyes. "Let's take the back alleys home, Cowboy."

I laughed at the word.

Home.

* * *

A/N: I'm feeling like I'm in a writing mood so expect an update this weekend. Oh, and I know this chapter is kind of dark, but that's how I roll.

Angela Jewell: A cat would be hilarious! That's one way to keep him away, eh?

Jace3: Ranma's younger brother is gonna play a part in the story so watch for it. Ooh scary!

WhiteTigress666: Oh yes, Genma's reaction…he's my favorite character; it was hard to kill him.

Innortal: I don't think I'll paint that whole night for a bit still because it's just too fun writing Mysterious-Ranma

Ikerana: Imagine it ended all Romeo & Juliet with them killing each other and then the families would finally rest. Too bad it's been done a ridiculous number of times, eh?

Motokonobaka: Thanks, the songs inspire the story!

Reaper2040: You freakin' rock for bringing up the locker. Yeah, I want to steer away from the two muses I've got, but I'm definitely keeping some things in. They'll be subtle hopefully so watch for 'em and tell me if you spot any.

p.s. Review Please. . . Gangstaz


	9. The Boys Are Back In Town

Here you are on the back of my mind again

Don't guess it's gonna get any better

Is your memory ever gonna end

Or does it go on forever

I was the one when you left town

Said I'd get along somehow

Didn't take long to find out

That I was wrong

--Bryan White "Look At Me Now"

* * *

So after successfully messing around with my head for about five minutes in the grocery store earlier today, I finally arrived home.

I cooked the stupid meal I agreed to in hopes of learning more about the guys after me and was amazed Hiroshi even accepted.

I mean, c'mon, it was **me**, and it was **cooking**. This equation usually had something blowing up or being born. Sure, I had exceeded expectation since I was a youngling, but I was no Chef Boyardee.

I went and got everything together. My memories of old meals created haunted me as I reached for the top to the pot on my stove.

"_Nice_ soup." I cooed, just in case it came alive and needed soothing.

I took off the top, shielding my eyes, and stared at the profound mess in front of me.

A blob. A big orange blob bubbled in front of my eyes. I sniffed it and fell back with disgust.

Oh my gosh, what the hell was this? It smelt like Orange Crush on acid.

I quickly grabbed the handle, ran to the sink, and dumped the gross 'soup' away.

Once done, and over the temporary shock of how badly that went, I decided to look at the time.

Shit.

I had five minutes to prepare the most tantalizing meal in the world. On the other hand, I could scrap making it, order Chinese food, and get myself ready.

I was a selfless girl; Mr. Ho's family would obviously need the money to go through college. How could I say no? It was practically a charity. That is, of course, if Mr. Ho even existed past a name on a piece of paper. Even then, his paper children obviously still needed to go to college.

No, I had to order; no discrimination against paper children could ever be tolerated!

I looked back on my last thought.

My, my, my; so, I had finally gone crazy.

I was contemplating this as the buzzer sounded. I ran to my phone, picked it up and breathed into it.

"Hello?"

"Miss Tendo?" A manly voice answered. "It's the police. We heard there's been an emergency, you've been cooking. We've come to check for illegal substances . . . or beings."

I rolled my eyes. "You overuse that cop thing, Hiroshi."

He was smiling. "Nothing can be overdone. Except, maybe your steak. Let me in. _Bad_ host!"

I stuck my tongue out into the phone.

"Put that away." He scolded devilishly. "For now."

I quickly pressed the buzzer and hung up the phone.

Okay, I just needed to phone Mr. Ho's and I was done, right?

Wait. What was I forgetting?

I looked down at my tattered apron and up at my freaky roots and barely muffled a scream.

I was definitely not getting laid tonight.

Which, of course, was good because that's definitely not why I asked Hiroshi to dinner, and why I had bought a little red dress to go along with the carrot stew.

Obviously.

I dashed into my bedroom, thanking god for waxing the night before and showering earlier today. I only had to tousle my bangs into place and slip on the damned dress.

I had just zipped up the back and was applying too much lipstick when Hiroshi knocked on the door.

Dagnabit, even his knock sounded cocky.

I ran to the door and opened it slowly, trying to be as seductive as I could.

He was just off work; suit on with the collar unbuttoned and his tie loosened in the most badass way. His hair was mussed up and fell airily atop the strand previous. His eyes were almost half lidded in a dare-you-to-stare gaze he had adopted over years of leaving nothing to a poor girl's imagination. To say the least: he looked good.

I couldn't very well let him know it though.

"I like your tie." I purred.

"Are you trying to seduce me, Mrs. Tendo?" He quipped, staring heatedly into my eyes.

Oh my goodness, my stomach said, along with other parts I couldn't mention.

I managed to roll my eyes. "Don't be ridiculous."

I turned around and walked to the living room, sitting daintily on the couch.

It was really hard in the dress I had shoehorned into and I almost fell off.

He waltzed in, took off his coat and tossed it onto one side of the couch.

"Oh, so you put that little red number on because it was the most comfortable, I suppose?"

Damn cop.

"Y-y-n-yes?" I managed.

"Dork."

I shook my short mane of hair and patted the spot next to me.

I bet you're wondering: wow, she has gotten desperate to present herself like a cat in heat, but I had a plan. See, Hiroshi was a cop, and cops don't talk. I needed to know more about the guys after me, but I couldn't very well just _ask_ him; he'd slither away from answering, which only bothered me more.

Thus, his Achilles' heel: a long pair of legs attached to, a rather frazzled, me.

He slid next to me and had his arm resting on my shoulder in another second.

"So, where's the food?" He asked eager to make fun of my wicked skill.

"Oh."

Crap. Forgot to do that too.

"I just have to phone someone." I got up and slid past him, even though I really didn't have to.

Oh Akane, you horrible vixen.

"The dress is working, by the way." He called from the couch.

I secretly smiled, but outwardly scoffed. "Pig."

He laughed from the other room and it made me smile.

I picked up the phone and speed dialled #1: Mr. Ho's Restaurant. Don't think I'm a bad daughter: Dad _was_ #2. Unfortunately for them, Nabiki and Kasumi and everyone else just weren't called as much on my phone.

* * *

So I guess if you could define a "dream date" it wouldn't quite be our relationship. I mean, nothing was the nuclear family-one, two step reality anymore, but still, we were quite the pair.

He made fun of my take out and then ate most of it, I pushed him off the couch a few times, and we had ice cream afterwards, right out of the tubs; yes, this had been a nice night.

So, now it was time to get the information out of him. I decided, after trying many ways of seducing him out of it, reducing me to sheer panic at eye contact with his hungry eyes now, that I would straight-out ask him.

"Hiroshi." I stated, staring next to me on my comfy couch.

He looked to me, pulling the ice cream tub in his lap closer, protectively. "Yeah?"

I smiled. "You loser, I'm not gonna steal your ice cream."

"I don't know if I can trust you; you've got a criminal mind."

"Says who!"

I was not a criminal. I minimally cheated on my taxes, phoned my father some of the time, and was very forgiving. . . sort of.

"Says the tree you drove me up."

"Oh, yeah . . . that."

Sly jackass.

He laughed. "Yeah, _that_."

"Well, that was with good reason, you fink!"

He smirked.

Good, lowering his shield.

"Anyway, I was just wondering if you could tell me more about the break in."

Smooth Akane, smooth like the Rocky Mountains. He definitely wouldn't tell me anything now. Well, I suppose the blunt approach wasn't the way to go after all.

I saw his uneasy glance at my phone and the door, but I wouldn't let him call for back up.

"Don't know a thing, Sweets." He played.

Liar.

"You better tell me what you know."

"Or else what, you'll stiletto me to death?" He dared.

He jumped out of his seat and headed for the door. "Gotta go."

"No," I wasn't gonna let this be for nothing and I needed to keep him here, "don't I . . . get a good night kiss?"

Hah! Achilles' heel, bitches!

He wavered a bit. "You're just stalling me."

I grinned my sexy-vixen grin, and he receded.

"You're just using me." He played, mock-hurt. He stepped a bit closer and delicately wrapped his arms around my waist.

I straightened at the sudden touch. Okay, this plan was backfiring a bit.

He circled his thumbs by each side of the small of my back. The thought of my love handles made me inwardly cringe.

He noticed, looked down and then back up at me.

"Perfect fit." He noted.

I swallowed hard. Okay, calm down, remember to be a vixen, Akane.

His jeans took rest against my hips. Suddenly, this dress was feeling all the more flimsy.

He half grinned, half scowled and I stared up as innocent as I could.

He detached a hand from my waist, at which I felt oddly irritated by, and brushed a hair from my eyes, folding it neatly behind my ear. He let his hand linger down the front of my body; over every ripple, every silky spot I could imagine, with the utmost care, and then ended right where he started: at the base of my back.

My hands were by my sides lamely and I didn't know what to do.

I coughed. "You always this delicate with the girls?"

He smiled and leaned his head to the side, staring me down from another angle.

Smug bastard.

"Shut up and kiss me." He grinned, pulling me up to him and clenching me in one of the deepest kisses I ever took

His hands searched each side of me and started to pull up my dress. It was off in a second, my white lacy bra standing out in the pool often around it. Luckily, I had a half slip on I had forgotten, and thanked myself for remembering, before.

His shirt was unbuttoned by my semi-practiced fingers in another moment, my hands smothering over his hot, smooth chest; chiselled by many years of close calls and dangerous liaisons.

His mouth engulfed mine, my mind in tatters.

It's just that this felt so **good**, so right. My hands ruffled through his array of hair and in a moment we were on the floor.

The cool hardwood sent a chill up my spine, only enticing the moment. He was on top of me, kissing my neck. He grazed across my décolleté and I closed my eyes, breathing in deeply, and feeling the instant pleasure.

Then suddenly, out of nowhere, Ranma's face flickered in the back of my mind; a picture of his dejected face, on a plane to a place he didn't know. The loss in his eyes; knowing he'd never experience my taste, that I would be another's. I just couldn't do this; he was _stealing_ my full attention.

I pushed Hiroshi off me. Not harshly, but soft, I was still allowed to enjoy the moment.

I breathed heavily. "_Hiroshi_."

He looked up. "Yeah, Tendo?"

He smiled warmly. He liked when I said his name.

I ran a hand through my hair, breathing hard, trying to hold a thought for more than five seconds before the guilt set in.

"What if they come back?" I mustered, before his greedy hands tried at my slip.

He pressed his lips to mine, but I parted them with a finger and stared at him.

He sighed, annoyed at having to wait. "Don't worry, we got the location from your phone, they're not coming!"

He smiled and stroked my shoulder, kissing me fervently on the mouth.

**No fucking way.**

I pushed him off, feverish thoughts going through my mind.

"Wait, you're telling me you knew the address of where they phoned from?" I practically screamed.

He paused, raised an eyebrow, and rolled his eyes. "You don't have to get all dramatic-"

"_All dramatic_?" I screeched. "What the hell is _wrong_ with you? You told me you didn't find anything, you dirty, stinking liar! Too bad a branch from the tree I ran you up didn't puncture you fatally!"

I stood up in a second; looking a little silly in a see through skirt-like attire, and a lace bra with one strap completely off. I stared at him, shirt and pants now both thrown down in the heat of the moment. His tie was no where to be found.

His boxers were gorgeous: little pink flamingos and the phrase "Flying's for Dummies" in little green writing.

Too bad they were attached to the spawn of the thing growing in the back of my fridge.

I pointed to the door. "Get out right now you jerk bag."

He looked up impatient. "Don't over react. We have everything under control. You haven't been going to work or anything, it's being patrolled, it's fine."

Wait, _what_ about work?

"Are you saying that the call came from…" I couldn't finish my sentence, it creeped me out far too much.

He stepped towards me. "Sweets, you're shaking."

I pointed to the door. He had his clothes on now, buttoning up the first button of his shirt.

"Get out, you jerk." I spat.

He stepped forward, then stopped, turned around and walked out the front door, slamming it quite effectively.

I walked to the couch and stared blankly ahead.

Someone at work was trying to kill me.

I picked up the phone and dialled the first number that came to mind numbly.

Jeez, talk about job satisfaction.

* * *

A/N: This took forever! Work is too much, and then everyone wants to go out and **do** stuff. Jeez, stuff!

SkippyPanda: Well, thanks that's really nice of you to say! I updated soon after you reviewed, so hopefully it wasn't that bad of a wait for ya?

Suteishii: Yep, Jin's gay. Pro-bono is basically work for free. I bet Nabiki's would have nightmares about a word like that, eh?

WhiteTigress666: It was hard to kill Pride & Prejudice considering it was such a wonderful book and such, but for the story: anything! Genma is my favourite character so that was tough to do, but it was necessary for plot . . . would've been hilarious though, eh?

Jace3: Ballet was really good for my balance when I was younger and after I stopped, it certainly helped in karate. Yes, they are incredible, Hulk-like drunks.

Ikerana: Get ready for more depth into Jin's character. I've been preoccupied at the moment with the "star struck lovers" but Jin's past is real interesting too. Plus, he gets to make fun of Ranma and Saotome takes it; that's **always** fun.

Innortal: Thanks very much. I like writing dark, but my real love is comedy. Adding depth is necessary for all things in my books. I like that you noticed he's not the same, it means a lot.


	10. Yknow That Chick That Used to Dance Alot

He's the fella, the man who invented himself

Nobody knows where he's from

Nobody knows where he's gone and gone and gone

But he's not here

When you're waiting for your baby, to get back from the moon

And throw her arms around you, in a very quiet lagoon

Well, that loneliness is nothing, Just imagine how he feels

He's the only person in the world

Who still believes he's **real**

--Robyn Hitchcock "The Man Who Invented Himself"

* * *

I stared at the phone in my hands.

I had dialled. It was ringing; there was no holding back now.

The pressure of phoning someone I really didn't want to have to ask for help from was dilapidating but I had to, I had no other choice. This matter was simply too much for me.

One ring.

Two rings.

Three rings.

I heard the click and someone picked up. There was bickering in the back ground followed by what sounded like a pillow being thrown at the yeller.

"What?" The angry voice from the phone asked.

I smiled.

I had missed this voice.

"It's Akane, I need your help."

The voice sighed and spoke after a muted moment. "Fine, where are you?"

Sucker.

"At home, alone." My voice cracked, and I really tried to stop it, but I couldn't. "I'm kind of scared actually."

The voice paused a moment. I didn't know whether the pause was for me or them.

"Bye." They muttered before hanging up.

I sighed.

This was going to be slightly awkward.

* * *

In twenty minutes my palms were sweaty and gross, I was on my eighth glass of water, and staring at the door from my couch.

It was like the kettle never boiling if you watch it; no one was coming to the door. Except, that was my desired effect, but I knew it wouldn't last long. In a few seconds somebody was gonna break through that door, not literally because they were _not_ The Hulk, and I didn't know how to handle the situation.

It wasn't terrible they were coming, just different. We had separated over the years, it happened to millions of people; so why did I feel so _singular?_

My fingers trembled around the glass. I really shouldn't _ever_ own anything breakable.

When I was seven, I was given a beautiful glass butterfly with sparkling wings and glorious antennae. It was all I could do not to surgically attach it to myself at the time.

Two days later it was on the floor in the kitchen. And the living room. And the dining room.

I learned an important lesson that day: glass doesn't bounce.

As I stared into my glass I heard a shrill ring and jumped for the phone next to the couch on a tiny wooden table.

"Hello?" I trembled.

The voice laughed. "Let me up."

It was a laugh. That was a good sign, right? The laugh seemed . . . hollow, though.

I strolled over to the door and wrung my hands, after placing the phone back in its proper place, and stared at the wooden slab until it started to shake and someone knocked.

My hand reached for the brass knob. I breathed in, swung open the door, and stuck on my biggest smile.

"Why, hello ther-" I began before they pushed past me into the apartment.

"Screw the formalities." They sighed. "What's wrong?"

I was flabbergasted. "Nabiki! We haven't spoken in person since . . . well, for a long time! How _are_ you?"

The woman placed her purse on my kitchen table, sighed, and put her hands on her hips.

"Akane, I am a very busy woman. What is wrong?" The petite woman asked, drenching every word with annoyance.

She still had her hair short, but her bangs had been tapered to the side and it was a bit longer than it had been all those years ago.

She wore a very Ally McBeal-like suit, the skirt rising a bit too high to forget the stern looks you were getting were from a woman.

I suddenly had this horrible wave of emotion for my estranged sister. Sure, she had gotten the job for me, and I was planning on her getting me a better, less homicidal job, but I hadn't had a real conversation with her in years.

Some strange force dragged me into a hug with her in which she jumped in surprise and discomfort.

She pushed me away with as much care as you would have handling a bratty child, and smoothed out her outfit, a tight smile on her face.

"Please Akane, this is dry clean only." She reminded tutting softly. "Now, tell me the damn problem. What; miss me too much?"

She scoffed and laughed.

I _had_ missed her. She wouldn't believe me though. She was sad, I could tell with my sisterly instinct, and I felt for her. She pretended to have no heart, but I knew she was unhappy with her situation; her husband was having an affair or two at the moment, and she knew.

She let it go because he was making quite a bit of money at the moment and after he made the cash, half of all that fresh money would be for her "wounded heart".

She was wiping dust off herself as I scrunched up my face.

"Nabiki, are you happy?" I asked, biting my lip for the response.

She sighed again, looked up at me and her lips curled a bit at my worry.

"Sis," She told me, too wisely for her own good, "my heart got cold, it died of pneumonia, and now I haven't got one."

She swallowed hard and looked over my shoulder. There was more to this.

She continued soon after, sarcasm present. "You weren't invited to the funeral, closed casket and all. You know Akane; it's very hard to raise a heart from the dead, like people."

She seemed so cold and impassionate.

New topics were needed to avert this.

"So," I began, with an all too cheerful voice and a playful punch to Nabiki's arm, "the job you got is trying to kill me."

She stared at my hand, making contact with her, and then looked to me for a moment.

"The funeral place?"

"Yeah." I nodded, already feeling comfort that she would deal with it.

"Hmm, I was afraid of that." She said to herself.

I stopped. "_What_ do you mean? You were afraid of what?"

My heart was pounding.

Again.

She sighed, rolled her eyes, and gave me a patronizing grin. "There _was_ a chance of this. My people were staking the place, and I thought I needed an insider in there, just in case."

She said it like it was nothing.

"You pimped me out to killers!" I yelled in horror.

She chuckled; completely calm.

"No Akane, _supposed_ killers." She smiled as if I was being a stubborn child. "I run an _apprehension_ agency."

A _what_?

"What like picking up packages?" I asked, thinking of Nabiki in a big UPS truck with a brown outfit on; ill fitting and made by machines.

She looked perplexed for a second. "I _suppose_ . . . in a manner of speaking."

The first thing I learned about Nabiki was that she had many "manners of speaking". When I was eight she took me to the zoo. I bought an expensive, elephant shaped balloon and to teach me about money, she sold it to another eight year old for double what I paid, giving me half of what _I _paid for it. I told her it was mean and she stole from me. She told me it was a business expense "in a matter of speaking".

Fuck that, I wanted my damn _elephant balloon_ back.

"You bitch!" I yelled at her.

She stuck her hands on her hips and rolled her eyes **again**.

She was like the Big Bad Wolf: huffing, and puffing, and blowing the houses of poor, underdeveloped pigs down.

Corporate bastard.

I huffed back. "Well, I want a new job!"

I expected her to freak out beyond anything, and flip over chairs. IT was to my surprise that she nodded in resign.

"Alright, I suppose that's only fair." She told me.

I got suspicious.

Nabiki Tendo didn't just give up like this; she'd first attack your friends, then your family, then your house. Then again, she _was_ family, messing up the plan a tad.

My eyes transformed into tiny slits. "What're you thinking?"

She grinned widely. "I've only got one position available though: apprehension agent."

This didn't sound good.

"Do I have a choice?" I asked, rent being due the next week.

"No, not really." She smiled kindly, but it was all falsehoods with her.

"Well, what would I have to do?" I asked suspiciously.

Nabiki was a series of loopholes and tricks; a maze not to be tampered with.

Nabiki grinned. "Normal, easy job. It's got no real time lines or anything."

Hmm, well a **crap** job is better than **no** job at all, I guess.

"Okay, what do I do?" I asked, still sceptical.

She laughed, and this one was real. "Just go to work like you do now, at the death parlour. You know, you've sure gotten less gullible; it suits you."

Hah, a compliment from the ice queen Nabiki Tendo!

Score one for the Akaninator!

"Thanks, but I know you're just sugaring it up because they're trying to kill me!"

She chuckled. "Akane, now why would they want _you_ as an individual. It's what you _represent_ they want."

Hmm, aside from that one time I pretended to be a cheetah and ran around "eating antelope", which were actually pieces of watermelon I hid all over the house, I had never _represented _anyone.

"Who?" I asked quietly, my glare still set to kill.

She smiled warmly. "Me, silly."

Well, at least they wouldn't go after me anymore. Maybe they thought Nabiki was in my apartment when they broke in . . .

I supposed I could set my glare to stun instead of kill.

"Thanks for not keeping me in the dark anymore, sis." I told her, genuinely.

She squirmed a bit. A regular person wouldn't notice this, but I had to live with her for more than her husband ever would.

"Nabiki." I warned. "Don't try to swindle me or anything, okay?"

She scoffed. "Whatever do you mean, sis?"

What did I mean?

Something wasn't piecing together, but I had forgotten what it was.

She twitched her head, looked at her watch and then let out a curt, calculated sigh. "Well, I must dash."

"Wait, there's something I've gotta ask you." I spoke out, jumping up to put a hand on her shoulder.

She stared at it until I pulled away.

"Sorry." I muttered.

She sighed, the wrinkles around her eyes showing a bit.

"Okay, you have one minute." She allowed, folding her arms like a shield across her chest.

"Right." I blurted out the first thing that came to mind. "How did they know about Sayuri, and why would they _care_ if this was all about you."

The thought of someone being after Nabiki wasn't outlandish at all, but something felt icky.

She flinched, she _definitely_ just fucking flinched.

"What?" I asked, loudly.

Nabiki looked past me, to the door, and then came back to reality a moment later.

"Akane, you're going to need a few things for your new job; someone will be over to help you out, alright?"

No way was she slithering out of this.

"Nabiki! Tell me right now, Nabiki!" I yelled.

She was about to say something, when the phone started to ring.

I stared at it, as she did, then we watched each other for a second.

She was going to run if I went for the phone.

It rang again.

She taunted me. "It could be Hiroshi."

I smiled. "He can call back. Hell, I could phone him.

It rang for a third time.

She smiled still, calmly. "Bill collector?"

I smirked, my body in fighting mode, and shrugged. "All the more reason _not_ to answer."

Her smiled waned.

Fourth ring.

"It could be Ranma." She said at last.

Something inside of me jumped. He _would_ call at the most unfortunate time.

"It's not." I said.

She stared at the phone. "He's probably wondering about your night with Hiroshi."

Fifth ring.

"Nothing happened!" I yelled, eyes popping. "I kicked him out in the end!"

She smiled devilishly, ready to go. "He doesn't know that. And he **won't** call back."

There was a tugging. _Why_ was there a tugging?

Sixth ring. They would hang up in seconds.

I gave in and ran to grab the phone and get back to her, but when I returned she was out of the house and, probably, out of the district on some low-flying jet to Tahiti.

I sighed fallen, looked at the phone I had clicked, and held it to my ear.

"Hello." I mumbled into the phone.

"Calling your big sister in won't stop anything. Leave while you still can."

It was that voice again. And then they hung up.

All at once, the tears formed, and all my other problems recede to **nothing**.

I shot around; looking for ways they could have seen. I ran to all my windows, closing them and shutting the shutters. I ran to the front door, checked the lock, turned off all the lights, ran to my room and got a blanket, and ran back to my door.

I still had the phone in my hand.

Everything felt so compromising. I was so exposed, and vulnerability really wasn't my cup of tea.

Going back to work was a big no. I'd rather eat bullets. Actually eating bullets would be a lot easier than most things. Especially, if they were those small, pill-sized ones. I would be set.

Unfortunately, nobody ate bullets literally.

I began to wish for everything to be literal, but then I would have to stop saying shit, so I stopped.

I stared at the phone and dialled the first number that came to mind.

"Y'ello?" Someone cheerful spoke into the phone.

I smiled a bit at the thought of him.

"It's Akane, Jin."

He faltered a bit. "Akane, have you been crying?"

I sniffed unconsciously. "I'm really scared, Jin."

He paused. "Ranma's not here right now."

I swallowed hard and my voice shrank. "_Fuck_."

I started breathing shallowly and, surprisingly, crying into the phone.

"I can't take this-th-this shit!" I sniffed.

He spoke firmly into the phone. "I'm coming over Akane; only answer the door for me, okay?"

I nodded into the phone.

He somehow understood and hung up.

* * *

In ten minutes of darkness and suspicious noises, I heard a knock on the door, jolting me out of my frightened slumber.

I jumped up, looking all around me, and then at the door.

I nearly yelled. "Who's there?"

"Jin, Sweetie." He said; his sweet, kind voice calling to me.

I opened the door and, with a sigh of relief, saw the figure of the man who I had come to recognize only by voice.

He stared at me. "You look like shit, Darlin'."

I blushed and felt my hair. In horror of course, because my hair is a dirty bitch.

"How bad is it?" I asked, cringing.

He smirked. "Crazy-cat-lady bad."

Well, he was obviously Ranma's friend.

I stared at him, in my door way, and suddenly felt emotionally connected with him.

He was nice to me. Nobody was just _nice_ to me.

I thought this entitled him to something.

So, for the first time in a very long time, I let my shields down. The flood gates opened, and I collapsed into his arms, crying tiredly.

He picked me up, walked me through my threshold, kicked the door closed, and grinned widely.

"Ranma was right." He mused.

I stopped crying for a second, wanting to understand the other half of his comment. "What do you mean?"

He smirked. "You _are_ heavy."

* * *

A/N: Sorry it's so dark; next chapter will be light and wonderful . . . at times. Oh and notice it took a lot less time for this one? I've already started the next one so expect it soon.

WhiteTigress666: Thanks for staying with the story even in a lapse of it. Yes, Hiroshi boxers are to be coveted by many!

Ikerana: Thanks so much and sorry for taking forever! Don't worry the next chapter will be up quite soon!

sNow: Thanks so much! It wasn't that I was going to stop I just got so busy with work and all that jazz.

Reaper2040: Yeah, it was a little drawn I'm thinking of shortening it. Oh, I don't know if you're going to find out who the killer is just **yet**. heh heh heh


	11. Every Night She'd Be On the Floor

So freak out if you wanna

And I'll still be here

Don't call me for years and when you do

Yeah, I'll still be here

I'm not saying the effort is a waste of time

But I just love you for the things you couldn't change, though you've tried

These hours of confusion, they will soon expire like everything does

There's never gonna be a moment of truth for you

While the world is watching

All you need is the thing you've forgotten

And that's to learn to live with what you are

Ben Folds "You've Got To Live With What You Are"

* * *

I sighed, flipped up my collar and stared at myself in the mirror. My crisp black shirt was buttoned down a bit, my silk black tie hanging lazily from my muscular, but not roast beef-like, neck, and my black suit jacket was laid out on our ugly-print bed. 

There was something I needed, something missing. I scrolled down a bit and figured out what.

I needed _pants_; my gorgeous boxers might make the girls swoon too hard and the guys too jealous. Pants for humanity then; and Jin says I'm not a humanitarian.

I swooped to the bathroom and grabbed them from where I dropped them on the floor to put on after the shower. I had forgotten though; I had gotten used to not wearing them very often.

That brought a smirk to the man staring back in the mirror.

Yes, I had gotten to know short girls, tall girls, lean girls, built girls, skinny girls, and fat girls; and yet, none had really mattered. There was one, her name was Kit, and she was another assassin; well, a gun-for-hire. She had been the closest I had had to a relationship since Akane. I told her a lot of stuff; she had been the third in the Dynamic Trio and we loved her.

She hadn't come from Nerima. In fact, she never told us where she was really from. Jin did a check and it was Brussels. She spoke English and Japanese, and probably a whole book of other languages too. They were never really my thing, but I had learned English, the American kind and the _real_ kind. She was brilliant though, a master thief that always hit her target, and very good with the boys. You couldn't escape her beauty and her carefree attitude. Once you got to know her, as Jin and I did, we discovered she wasn't carefree: she was completely afraid of committing to anything and did the opposite.

Kit was tall, lean, and beautiful. She had brown hair, but loved wigs, probably trying to hide herself all the more. She was complex though, and one night, on top of a rooftop in Berlin, she told me something in complete secrecy.

"I've been in love too," she said, after I had told her about Akane.

"But you couldn't have as much as me. It had been four years and I still have dreams about her." I told her, unaware of the common ailment.

She sighed, breathed in and looked at me. "His name was Fox and I loved him. We went to school together and fought all the time. We weren't engage like you and Akane, the hierarchy of the school was different, but we were still the same. Oh god, he was handsome, Ranma, the most brill eyes in the world! No offence, of course, but – hey, stop pouting like a puppy dog, lame ass, and **listen**. So, we're walking down the boulevard one night, regaling about the play we had just seen, and he wrapped me in my arms and kissed me," she paused here, closed her eyes and smiled that smile of memories held on to, "It wasn't for the first time, of course, but, um,it would be for the last."

She stopped smiling then, another memory, not so pleasant, arose, and her eyes flashed open.

"Some things are better forgotten." She muttered.

I sighed. "So what went wrong?"

She looked at me and shrugged. "He wanted to go away to college, asked me to marry him, told me we could make it work." There were tears in her eyes. "I was eighteen though, scared shitless of commitment, and I told him I'd think about it. His face was . . . crestfallen, but he knew, and so did I, that he could change my mind."

I rolled my neck. "So did he?"

She stared ahead. ". . . never got the chance. That night I got mugged in a park and killed the perp. I hadn't tried to, of course, but I had. Then someone came out of the shadows, my adrenaline was still running so I said a few threats and we started to fight. He easily beat me and after a delicate, yet complicated as fuck, move, he had me on the ground. He asked me if I wanted to live. I said more than anything. So he let me up and told me I fought well, and that my futures lie in bounty hunting, snipering, and thievery. I thought he was joking until he took out a gun and placed it in my hand. I stared at the man I had killed with his own knife, and back to the city line. 'I'm never coming back here, am I', I had asked. He shook his head no."

She stalled there, abruptly and quietly, coughed and hung her head back.

I was confused. "But you could have left with Fox?"

She smiled. "I could never tell him about that night though, and the guilt would ruin what I had. Plus, it was a sign, the night he tells me he wants to marry me another chance pops up. And like I said before, I was, and am, scared of commitment."

I sighed again, trying to hide my smirk. "My story's cooler."

She punched me in the arm. "Jack ass, my story is about_lost love_, I never got to say good bye. I definitely get points for that."

"I didn't either! Did I tell you about the night I left? About the talk I had with my dad? About the . . ." I couldn't finish. "Did I tell you how I found my curse?"

She smirked, wrapped an arm around me, and squeezed. "Honey, you don't have to tell me anything, but I'm interested as hell. So if you keep talking, I'm not going anywhere. The past is a funny thing though, there's always a right moment to unleash it upon yourself. See, you just had a hiccup. Now, you've gotta decide whether you should confront it now, or wait until your ready."

I stared at her for a second and pondered. "I've got a few more stories to tell."

She kissed me on the cheek loudly and rustled my hair. "Well, that's lovely, go on then."

And I did. And it _was_ lovely.

We had been together for a few weeks then, and lasted until one day, on a mission; she was shot dead on a flaming roof with me and Jin in a car at the bottom.

I never lived that down.

So now she is a memory, and it's really not time to face her.

* * *

The good thing about Kit and I was that we both knew we were, and would always be, in love with our respective "one". That didn't mean we didn't love each other; just that we both knew the other wasn't who we were meant for in the galaxy, or cosmos, or whatever. 

The wind whisked through my hair as I walked up to the high school. There wasn't really a purpose of being here. I suppose, I'd already been to the graveyard, _"home"_, and, aside from the dojo where I certainly was **not** going, there was really no other place to go.

Nabiki had phoned earlier and asked me to "relax" for a few days. Meaning, of course, I was to stay off Akane's trail. I didn't mind. Nabiki always knew more than she let on.

Funny, they wouldn't just kidnap her like everybody else. It would make things much simpler, not to mention more fun.

The school looked the same except for the paint was chipping a bit and the clock, according to my watch, which was gun proof and always accurate, was five minutes fast.

Then again, with a sadist of a principal it could have always been that way.

It was deserted, dust rose a bit as I walked through the open gates. The fact that they were open was odd but there were many weekends the school had been open, or some teacher with only half a life would come in and do work, stealing away from their twenty five cats for the night.

I stood in front of it then, waiting for Kuno to pounce at me for a fight. My leg flinched, ready to boot, but it was not necessary. I shook it out a bit and let it rest next to my other well toned knee.

My hands were thrust into my pockets and I swung back and forth on my heels, staring at the clock, the building that shaped my entire young adulthood. Now, there was only dust, and the false pretence of being on time for class seemed irrefutably useless.

I stepped closer, almost at the doors. I touched the cold metal and my heart stopped for a second. As the cool metal interacted with my clammy hands, a shock went through me and I closed my eyes. The night, that night, rose around me. She was already inside, fuming with me being late and not taking her myself. And I had been standing here, clutching this steel, with clammier hands than ever, wondering what the hell I should do.

Kuno had slapped my back. I tensed with the memory and stretched my sore shoulder blades.

"No fights tonight." He had said.

I remember feeling confused. _Every_ night was a fighting night for Kuno.

"What's so damn special about tonight?" I had grumbled like the angst ridden teen I was.

He had smirked. "Why, tonight is thy night of magic and mystic. My fair maiden shall be through those glorious doors and I shall run to her."

I stood still at the door, my knuckles now white. "I think she might be here with somebody."

He laughed. "What? You? Did not I tell you tonight is the end. What have you after this institution has forgotten our names? Nothing! But I, a Kuno by name, and by nature, have everything she shall ever desire."

I stared at the window, back at myself, my hand-me-down suit and brushed the dirt off my face.

"Whatever." I found myself, telling no one at all.

That was only one of many conversations that night. And only one of many dreams that haunted me.

I sighed. Coming here was a _very _bad idea.

I reached for my cell phone to call Jin and go out to relieve the pressure, maybe kill a mark or something. My pocket was weightless though.

"Fuck." I muttered, as I searched for my neglected phone.

Damn, I must've left it on the damn table in the damn room. We _really_ needed to switch to a better suite. I wanted to lay low for a bit though, just in case. I had a lot of enemies now. Well, a lot more _heinous_ ones.

I hitched up my pants for no reason at all, and twirled around to walk away.

I still couldn't shake that feeling out though, of what was, what was dead, and what could have been. . . no matter how hard I shook my leg.

**

* * *

**

I decided to walk and, upon returning to my humble abode, moved quickly to the night stand. My phone was missing and, in it's place on hotel paper, was a note in Jin's writing.

It read:

_Ranma,_

_Stole your suck ass phone_

_Emergency call from Akane_

_Sounded pretty shook up_

_Went over to figure things out_

_Hope she's okay_

_Will phone room_

_Nobody's,_

_Jin_

Well, something obviously bugged Jin when he reverted to lame humour.

Something crept up on me though, the distinct instinct that all was not good. And that Akane was in trouble.

She was _not_ becoming just another memory to face.

I almost forgot to lock the door; I was too busy loading my gun.

* * *

A/N: Wow, I was done for a while my computer just messed up so I couldn't post. But I have half the next done so whoopah. 

Puppkid: Sorry this chapter is shorter. No worries, they will grow like flowers. Wow, that was really lame of me. Anyway, thanks for liking it and I hope I haven't deterred you from checking out more Ranma fanfic and, perhaps, reading the manga.

Jace3: Sorry for the soul-Ranmaness of this chapter. Don't worry; a hell of a lot of tension is coming. Muahaha

Ikerana: Oh, oh my you will just **love** the next chapter (hopefully)

FenixDown: Yes, with hatchets and Barbies. Hehehe just kidding

lisiegirl: Thanks, I love her too! Read Eleven On Top yet?

Innortal: Yeah, there really isn't a lot with Jin yet, but hopefully you'll be just as interested in his back story!

WhiteTigress666: Yes, the mallet is never for just one person (although it does choose favourites)

Read, review, make me love you


	12. Shakin' What She'd Got

Everyone I know

Says I'm a fool mess with you

Everyone I know

Says it's a stupid thing to do

I have your love on call

And yet my day is not so full

And I did not know what to do

And so I ran away from you

"I Ran Away", Coldplay

* * *

Every time she seemed to get into trouble I had been there for her. I was always alerted and expected to be that knight, no matter how rusty my armour was. It kinda makes me wonder what she did when I wasn't around to save her.

I sure hope she survived.

I was at her apartment in less than two minutes. I walked up to the elevator, stared at the "Out of Order" sign taped on haphazardly on lined paper with something that seemed to be gum, and decided to take the stairs. It _did_ help you live longer.

I sprinted up, still worried about the distressing note, and knocked roughly on her door.

"Akane? Open the hell up!" I hollered.

I heard a squeak behind me and swivelled, anger still apparent on my face.

An old woman holding a cat stared hard at me. She had a purple house coat, with the flower print on our walls back at the crappy hotel room on it, and her hair in curlers.

"What's your business with Akane?" She snooped, sticking out her pointy nose.

I raised my hands, tried to smile, and lied through my teeth. "I'm her doctor, she's been hurt and I can't get in, have ya got a key or somethin'?"

She stared at me, the door, and then back at me again. "Doctors don't call their patients by the first name!"

I sighed. What the hell was wrong with chicks?

"This is the twentieth century lady; I can call her whatever the hell I want." I snipped. I had my arms crossed over my chest and rolled my eyes.

She clutched her cat, eyes wide in anger, ready to throw the damn thing at me.

Okay, was it just me or was she losing holding of _that darn cat_?

"Who are you really?" She asked, stepping out a bit, bringing the cat closer.

"Ah, uh, I'm, um, well . . . I'm Akane's husband." I resigned, throwing my hands up in defeat, laughing like a madman. I trailed off, " . . . isn't it obvious?"

The woman stopped, her face suddenly becoming neutral. "Oh, hmm, I suppose. Well I wouldn't want to admit that either I guess. There's a key on top of the door frame. Good luck."

And she turned around and hobbled back to her apartment, looking a bit bored that I didn't turn out to be some assassin looking to use my gun.

Poor her, the one time I wasn't . . .

I turned back to the door, got on my tippy toes and felt around above the door frame. "Of all the places . . ." I muttered to myself. "She had to choose the most obvious one. . ."

It was lucky she didn't have a doormat because that would be far too obvious.

Something finally touched my fingers; cool, metallic, and key shaped. I didn't have to be Einstein to figure it out.

I shook myself out and quickly fit the key in the lock. Then something made me pause. Who was I to go into this apartment? Who was I to barge into a life I had abandoned so many years ago? Hell, who was I to have dreams about someone without their permission and be a incoherent bastard about it? Oh right, I chuckled, I was Ranma Saotome.

I turned the knob and stepped in.

There was darkness everywhere. Every orifice that could let some light in was blocked. The hall illuminated the five feet it could reach and I saw the out line of a phone lying on the ground. It was off the hook and was making that annoying beeping sound specifically used for when it's off the hook. I bent down to pick it up and heard a cool click behind me, then the press of a gun to the back of my head. It wasn't wavering in the least.

I paused for a second, slowly standing up with my hands raised high.

Then I heard her voice, right before I was going to punch her in the nose.

"Now stay put, whoever the hell you are." She warned, getting through it with almost certainty.

Did she think I was her secret admirer attacker?

I let out a growl that sounded like a muffled laugh.

What, you think this is funny, huh? Do ya? Well guess what; I've got a trained professional, right in the next room. Yeah, and when I wake him up he is gonna be pissed at you!"

She stuck it farther into my head. Now, no matter how harmless this chick could be, she had a temper like a rhino and a gun to my head.

This was just so _fun_ though.

I stayed silent to let her continue, now fully aware she couldn't shoot that gun.

"Jin!" She barked to no avail. Jin was a very heavy sleeper when need be.

She took the silence as cockiness and, exasperated by Jin's dual silence, growled. "And I know a cop too!"

At this I straightened up, tensed by instincts.

She noticed and thought this affected me; maybe this character she had in her head was afraid of cops. Hell, maybe he was one.

She continued. "And he's gonna," she trailed off. She sighed and continued, a little defeated, "Damn it, why do I only know pathetic bastards? Aside from the guy in my bedroom asleep and not answering my cry for help; he's wonderful. Every other guy though, what is _with_ you men? You're all a bunch of stupid, incompetent jerks. Y'know I used to have this fiancé, yep that's right, and he's all 'So, I'm gonna leave without saying anything then come back when things start getting better and make them crap again' and I just won't take that. What is _with_ you men? Jeez, I need another drink."

She spent this entire time talking bad of me and yet, as I sat here and listened to her whine, all I could think was how much more I wanted to hear.

'I love you.' I thought.

It was plain and simple now; it didn't really bother me anymore to think about it. She was a dream and I was allowed to love a dream.

Plus, love didn't hold the bearing it used to. I love a lot of things, and I have loved a lot of things and then, decidedly one day, stopped. It wasn't as big a deal as it used to be. It was so overused it had no bearing anymore. I loved Akane and I loved dish towels, end of story.

Now, she sat behind me, barrel of a gun to the nape of my neck and I couldn't comprehend the smile broadening across my face as she told her "attacker" about her love life, in weird detail.

"Oh, and there's this guy named Hiroshi, he's my cop friend," she paused to hiccup, "oh, but he is scrumptious. Not in a _pie_ way, of course, but in a _boy_ way."

I nodded my head, feeling like I should probably go before this got any worse. Just like _that night_.

She used her free hand to pat my shoulder. "Now don't get me wrong, Ranma is scrumptious too, but in a sort of . . ." she paused to think, "a sort of _fleeting_ way, I suppose; like the five minutes you spent just standing and staring."

She rustled her hair while nodding ecstatically. "Yes, those five minutes, that explains everything."

I resigned and turned around, she still couldn't see my face, neither I hers, but I could _feel_ it.

She tried to move the gun in time but I had it in a second.

I moved closer and could hear her heavy breathing.

"So, let me get this straight." I proposed.

She gasped a little at my voice, which made me feel all proud inside that she could tell it was me. It definitely wasn't what I wanted to be feeling right about now.

I was still angry though, which had brought me through a lot ore than this.

"So _I'm_ a read out on a digital watch and my competition is a **pie**?"

She gulped and, even though I couldn't see them, I knew her eyes were popping out.

I had to grin. "Akane, you are one messed up chick."

I got out of there as fast as I could, slammed the door as I left, and locked the door with my new key.

As I pressed the elevator door button I remembered it was closed and took the stairs again, all the way to the lobby and out the front door.

* * *

This put me in a great mood for going to work. Well, going to Akane's work and talking to the wonderful staff there again. I decided to walk so a getaway car was not needed as to prompt me into keeping people alive to use later.

Nabiki might get mad, but I was a **me** person; and there was no 'Nabiki' in 'Me'.

I walked up the ratty steps and swung open once of the great doors. It slammed behind me and almost caught my pant leg. I swung forward and was checking my trousers when a hand rested itself upon my shoulder. I grabbed it, flung it over my shoulder and waited for a second for movement.

I heard a groan.

"What in the devil's fury!" Creepy Merv yelped.

I stuffed my hands in my pockets and shrugged. "I don't like to be touched."

Oh but I was good at covering things up.

Creepy Merv smiled an oily grin and coughed while laughing rashly. "Sure ya don't."

I sighed. "I didn't come here to swap stories, _Mervithan_."

He was shocked. "How do you know my real name? I demand to know!"

I shrugged. "I know lotsa crap, like when you went out with that nice little daughter of the Mayor and left her broken hearted. Unbeknownst to him y'know, but things can change."

Creepy Merv gulped. "What do you want? If it's money I don't have it, I'm . . . um, in financial trouble at present."

Sweat droplets collided off one another from his forehead in the dim lights of the hall way.

I laughed wickedly. "No, I'll just erase that information if ya tell me somethin' I wanna know."

He squirmed and smirked. "What would that be? A free coffin for your last _victim_?"

I shook my head seriously. "Naw, the government takes care of that."

Hmm, it seemed he was joking. Oops.

"Then what?" He asked; hands clenched into fists at each side.

We were still in the entrance hallway.

"Is anyone else here?"

He scoffed. "Please, I'm the only one that's here at noon, the others are out to lunch, Tendo didn't even show today."

I grabbed him by the scruff of the neck and slammed him against the poor wallpapering.

"**Who's after her?"** I yelled, pounding him into the wall.

He blubbered something and then spat at me.

I didn't flinch. "The call came from _this_ place, which means they had to be in here. Who was it?"

He smirked. "Whatever do you mean? I haven't the faintest," but I nicked him in the neck before he could continue his routine.

I upholstered my gun and brought it to eye level with him.

"Unless you wanna get real up close and personal with yer job you **tell** me who's after her!" I screamed, choking the little bugger.

He coughed and spurted and then finally nodded.

I released him.

He rubbed his sore neck. "I will _never_ tell you her name."

" . . . her?" I murmured.

Well, this seemed to be enough information for the day. This 'her' would probably have given him an alias anyway.

I back handed him with my gun and left him passed out on the floor.

Hmm, I felt like a crepe.

* * *

Crepes were delicious. They are such a brilliant invention. I could go on about crepes for days and days. I was in Paris this one time, and this cook who was serving these exquisite ones was going on about some government crap, complaining to me and going on and on, and I was just amazed how he kept dishing out these amazing things while he wasn't even watching. I suspected it was the dough and he saw me spy it. He let me have a try and doing the same but mine turned out sad, and probably embarrassed to be in existence for the short time before I ate it. Surely, he was an artist.

I was sitting in the back of the restaurant went the waitress came over and took my order. She had her pad and pen in hand and wrote them down quickly.

She then looked back at my face and stalled.

"Wait," she craned her neck closer, "Ranma? _Ranma Saotome_?"

I nodded.

Who the hell was she?

"Ranma! Oh my gosh, it's Natsuki!" She gleamed, fanning herself as she stared me up and down.

"Wow, you've aged really well!" She said, scarcely a whisper. "So what've you been up to?"

I shrugged. "Big business, six, seven figures, y'know."

Her jaw dropped.

There was an awkward pause until someone in the kitchen yelled her name and she jumped.

She chewed the gum I had previously not seen in her mouth. "You goin' to the reunion, Ranma?"

"Uh, yeah, that's why I'm here," I smiled banefully. She was blocking my view of the door and it was starting to bother me.

She frowned. "Hmm, woulda thought you'd be here for Akane."

I flicked my gaze upon her. "Why would I do that? I'm the one that left, right?"

She shrugged. "Right, well, see ya at the reunion. I'm off shift now, care if I join ya?"

How many different ways could I say no?

I opened my mouth to speak, but a voice interrupted me before I even spoke.

"Actually," it purred, "this seat is taken."

Natsuki turned to the girl, eye rolled her and then skirted away to the kitchen.

The girl clawed at the air as she swirled and sat across from me.

I instantly knew who it was.

"Hello Ranma," she whirred, "how's my favourite cold blooded killer. Well, aside from myself of course."

Her tinkled laugh made me wince and feel my shoulder blade. I pretended to massage it absently as I stared her down.

"What the hell do you want, Kei?" I asked angrily, rubbing my shoulder even more agitated.

She rolled her golden brown, probably with a fake colour, eyes. "Oh Ranma, I only shot you once, stop being a drama queen."

She brought a file out of her small black purse and set to doing her nails.

"I've come here for a reason Ranma."

I glared into her eye sockets, hoping I suddenly had laser vision, the kind that shot rays. Sadly, I didn't just yet.

"I got that. You wouldn't have anything to do with a certain assassination attempt would you?" I questioned, twiddling my thumbs on the table top.

She smirked and if I got the chills I would have.

I have a lt of those, but you know that."

I couldn't take it anymore, this evil conniving cow had done something no one could ever forgive.

"You shot her, you _selfish, cold hearted bitch_!" I spat, pounding my hands on the table.

Her faced remained bored. "I got a better offer from the competition. Plus, I didn't see anyone else up there with her. Oh yes, that's right, you were with Jin heading away, right?"

Arg!

"We were waiting for her at the bottom when you killed her, you turn coat!"

She shrugged. "Thus is business. Anyway, I just thought I'd let you know, I'm assassinating your other partner now too. Please stay out of the way, you're making it rather hard for me."

My other partner? Jin?

"What's on Jin's head? Wouldn't anything on his head be on mine too?"

She stared me done, raised an eye brow and scoffed. "I'm no idiot Ranma; I know this girl's your new third wheel of a partner. Jin must be _so_ jealous."

"New _girl_?" I stuttered.

Oh shit.

"yeah," she grinned, "this Akane Tendo chick."

I nodded for her to continue.

"Yeah," she shrugged, staring down at her nails, "she's pretty much dead."

I stretched my hand out flat and squeezed at the table.

"Don't you lay a finger on her, ya got that?" I seethed through my teeth.

This chick was bad. I mean, she double crossed us at the last moment and killed one of my two best friends, my two only friends.

"Why, you fucking this chick, or something?" She spat sickly.

And that's when I did something I really shouldn't have.

I slapped her across the face, as hard as I could. Everyone stared.

I looked around meekly, had to say something and decided to be defensive.

I looked her in the eyes, saw her reaching for her gun out of the corner of mine, and started to walk away.

"How could you cheat on me?" I screamed loudly, nervously watching everyone around me stare open mouthed. I decided to go on, "with the **vicar**!"

Murmurs erupted as I fled the scene, more confused than when I went in.

Why the hell had she turned up? Why did she think Akane was my partner? And why the hell didn't she just kill me?

Things were getting more confusing by the minute, and I didn't even get my crepe.

Obviously, I needed to do the only sane thing when everything is going wrong; I needed to see my Mom.

* * *

A/N: Well? Faster than before, this update be. I tried to write that in Pirate-Speak, but it came out more Horribly-Wrong-Yoda than anything else. Sorry about that. So, how's the story?

Jace3: Ooh, same day you review a new chapter is up!

WhiteTigress666: Yeah, that's exactly what I wanted to get across in their relationship; they loved each other, but they knew they weren't _meant_ for each other.

JohnnyG: Thank you very much; I hope you enjoyed this chapter as well.

Ikerana: Yeah, you'll learn a little more each time the story is updated. At the end, I'm pretty sure you'll know everything that happened that night.

Innortal: Hopefully this will show he's not just a killer robot that looks great in silk boxers, eh?

Please read and review because it makes my fingers write the next chapter faster!


	13. Man When I Tell You She Was Cool

The daylight's fading slowly

But time with you is standing still

I'm waiting for you only

The slightest touch and I'll feel weak

I cannot lie

From you I cannot hide

And I'm losing the will to try

Go on, go on, come on leave me breathless

Tempt me; tease me until I can't deny this loving feeling

Make me long for your kiss

- "Breathless", The Corrs

----

After careful deliberation, I will never, ever, ever drink again.

Jin and I had a nice little talk; he calmed me down and had a drink with me. One turned into many and soon he had passed out on my bed.

Ranma's entrance was really not expected. I didn't even know it was him until it was too late. What the hell, I started talking to an assailant about my _love life_?

Oh my god, I called Hiroshi a pie.

I was **so** drunk.

When I woke this morning, blessed with only mediocre hangovers, I had been the only one in my house. Wow, Jin must have left pretty early.

Well, I had to get up soon; I was starting my new job today. My new job that, technically speaking, _was_ my old job, but this one was dangerous and cool. Anything that Nabiki is hush-hush about is dangerous and cool, though.

I got up out of bed, stretched my shoulders as wide as I could, and smiled goofily. I did that a lot lately.

I did the wake up, morning thing and was just about to eat breakfast when I went for my paper. It was already on the table, though.

No big deal, Jin could have brought it in for me. The thing was, I really doubted Jin wrote the tiny post-it note that was attached to the paper that read "THE NEIGHBORHOOD JUST ISN'T WHAT IT USED TO BE. SEE YOU AT WORK BUT YOU WON'T SEE ME" in red with a tiny smiley face.

What the hell. No, what the _shit?_

I stood there for a second, ran to the door to inspect, and banged on it appropriately. It was locked, as best as it could be, and there was no forced entry. I checked my window but it was locked from the inside.

This was _not_ a good development in my case. This was not my case, this was a police matter. Then why, in my head, did phoning the police not come to mind right away?

My phone was in my hand in seconds and I dialled Ranma's number as fast as I could, still staring at the locked door.

"Yo." A voice said on the second ring.

"It's Akane; I need you over here now." I said, a little too desperate for my liking.

"Miss me already, Babe?" He asked.

Something inside me popped and a wonderful feeling evaporated inside me. It went to my toes and my cheeks turned pink.

"Not really, smug bastards aren't really that appealing to me."

He paused for a second. "It must be bad karma to lie that much."

I shrugged into the phone. "Not really, it's a white lie. You'd break my heart if I said anything else."

"Touché." He said.

I felt the need to speak after he let the pause become pregnant.

"It's just there's this thing. I might need some help." I articulated.

"What? Still getting called on by your number one fan?" He asked.

He always had this way of getting right to the heart of everything.

"He's a stalker! It's the same kinda thing except this one's in my house . . . my _locked_ house." I said, biting my lip.

"Hmm, good lead."

"This is _not_ a good lead. This is a. . . _a bad sandwich_!" I stammered, too angry to compute.

I could sense him smiling on the other end of the line. "Babe."

And he was gone.

I sat around for a few minutes. This was pathetic. I would always phone someone else to help me. What could he do anyway? **I** was going out to find some leads, to sniff out some clues.

I owed it to my old friend.

---

I was in a simple plaid skirt and white button up shirt. It wasn't the most "lively" outfit, but Creepy Marv let me wear it because he thought it made me look like a school girl. My work was wrong. Hey, it wasn't my job anymore though, so it really didn't matter.

Still, I liked this outfit.

I hopped in my car and scooted off.

I decided to stop off at the mini donut shop on Ruku street because I am a slave to them. Inside the donut haven, at least three people stopped talking when I walked in. This was never a good sign in Nerima.

First, Mrs. Makio came up to me, hobbling a bit, but persisting with curiosity. "Akane Tendo."

I sighed. Dear god, what was it now.

"Yes Mrs. Makio?" I said, watching the other crowd around me a bit.

Her eyes got big and glassy. "Is it true that poor Saotome boy's wife cheated on him with the vicar?"

I stalled at this, with a half smile pasted on my face. Wife? Vicar?

"Where'd you hear this, Mrs. Makio?" I asked, still confused.

"From the diner where he slapped her! Remember my niece Natsuki?"

I remembered Natsuki very well. She had gone to college with me before we both quit and went for tea while everyone else wrote their exams. I had lost touch with her since, but I think we would both agree that those teas weren't worth the careers we had now.

I nodded.

"Well, she served him, told him she thought he was here for you, but he shied her away from that. Then, some gorgeous woman in a tight outfit came in, all boisterous and smooth, and sat across from him. My Natsuki said his whole demeanour changed when she got into the room. Next thing she knew she heard him slap her and yell something about a vicar and cheating!"

I had no clue what Ranma was up to, but I _did _know he said he wasn't here for me, so I didn't give a damn about him.

I shrugged. "I don't know . . . we don't really talk since he left me on prom night."

She nodded. "Oh I thought down of him after that, but now, this poor boy . . . the vicar!"

I rolled my eyes, and eyed the donuts only a few feet away.

"I need donuts." I told her point blank.

She didn't seem to hear and now all the girls around her started up too.

"I wonder why she cheated!" One whispered.

"It couldn't be the view, or the _sex_ for that matter." The next one said.

"How do you know, Relena?" The first rasped, nudging her lightly.

I noticed, as my head just naturally swivelled faster than a speeding bullet to her direction, she blushed.

Relena, the stupid skankbag, scoffed and threw back her hair. "Oh, well a girl can't kiss and tell, can she?"

"Yes, yes she really can." I found myself telling her in a small yell.

He _slept _with this bimbo? How could he? He hadn't even been back long and he definitely hadn't before he went on his ten year hiatus.

Why was it called "sleeping together". You _are_ in a bed, and together, but if you _are_ sleeping then you're doing it quite wrong.

Relena, with her long, bleached red hair, turned to me and smirked. "Akane Tendo, I think I _definitely_ know a lot more about this subject than you. That is, unless I wanted to know how to run men up trees."

She sneered; no stupid, skinny bitch was gonna sneer at Akane Tendo.

I moved right next to her face, my hands firmly placed on each hip, and gritted my teeth. Okay, I just had to look menacing.

"Listen hussy, I'm a bail bonds enforcement agent now, so you'd better watch what you say."

She stared at me blankly.

I sighed. "A fuckin' bounty hunter, okay? So yeah, I have a gun! And pretty soon I'm gonna know how to use it! So, yeah, watch out!"

Her eyes got wide and she flinched a couple times.

I shook myself off, with my nose held high, and ordered my doughnuts.

Maybe this new job would turn out better than I thought.

---

I still couldn't shake the thought of Ranma getting down and dirty with that skankazoid Relena. I had never really known her, but my old pal Su had a brother that went out with her and she cheated on him ten times before he dumped her, all in the same week! After that, Su spread a rumour she had STDs, but Relena convinced everyone Su was just covering up the fact she was pregnant, making no sense at all. It turned out she _was_ though, and so people took the skankbag's side for no reason.

As I walked into work Creepy Marv came out of the shadows and stared me down. The lights were off and only sunlight came through the windows.

"Marv, why aren't you turning on the lights?" I asked, confused and a little defensive.

"Akane, you're a great girl." Marv said. I couldn't see his eyes, but he seemed sincere. "How come you put up with an old fool like me?"

Okay, either Creepy Marv had an epiphany or someone visited him and shook the evil jerkness right out of him.

I sighed. "Is he still here?"

Marv shook his head robotically. "He's crazy Akane, batshit, you really shouldn't be seeing him!"

I raised an eyebrow and pointed a finger right at the creep. "First of all, when the hell did you become some sort of creepy father figure? Secondly, most people in this town are crazy anyway. Third, I am _not_ seeing Ranma Saotome!"

Okay, so I yelled that last part a little too high.

"Well that's a relief." A voice behind me said.

I froze a bit, and then relaxed when I recognized him. "Hiroshi, I didn't even hear you come in. Don't scare me like that, I almost lost my skin!"

He smirked and sauntered up in vintaged-by-owner Levis and a tight olive green t-shirt. He had his gun on his hip, and I was pretty sure another in his car.

He came up beside me, staring at Marv the entire time, with his cop face on, and rested a hand on the small of my back. I didn't mind because Marv was freaking me out, and I was only _human_.

He smelled of the cologne that I swear he bought from someplace like Albania so no one else had the same scent. He noticed my nose follow the scent around him and smirked.

"Sniffing for clues, Sweets?" He inquired, pulling me a bit closer, with his arm now fully around my waist.

I shrugged and tried to play coy. "I want a gun."

Okay, Akane Tendo; if that is playing coy; you will never have a husband!

What the _hell_ did I say that for?

He raised a brow and I laughed, "I'll sorta explain it later."

We turned to Marv, who was standing there with a stone face on.

Hiroshi looked to me, and then back to Marv. "I need to take Ms. Tendo in for questioning. I'm sure that won't be a problem?"

Marv shook his head, arms folded over his chest, a eerie smile creeping up. "No, not at all."

I mumbled "bye" and me and Hiroshi were gone.

---

He stretched his arms wide and rested on the hood of my car.

"You can't keep outta trouble, can you?" He smirked.

I stuck out my tongue. "You're dirtying up my car."

He smirked. "Well, there are other ways of keeping me busy."

I had a little hot flash, but quickly got over it.

"Hiroshi, I'm just gonna come out and say it." I told him innocently.

He fell silent, awaiting my explanation.

I squirmed. "Well, I'm a sort of, well to say that I was- no, well, I'm a bounty hunter now."

He stared into my eyes for a second - and then peeled into laughter.

He wiped his eyes with his sleeve and tried to calm himself down. "You're _joking_, right? I almost believed you for a second."

My jaw literally dropped. "Wait, what? Excuse me? I can be a bounty hunter. In fact, I think I'm gonna do a couple cases tonight. Y'know, reel in some bad guys."

I put my hands on my hips and furrowed my brow until my eyeballs hurt.

What the hell did he think I was gonna say? Did he expect me to plea him to throw me down on the hood of my car and have his way?

Unfortunately to me, and at the sake of my hormones, that tactic didn't see too absurd.

He put his fingers through his hair, figuring if he should believe what I had said, and huffed. "You're not serious are you, Sweets? You can barely tackle your hair, let alone a 200 pound guy."

My face began to burn. "I can do whatever the hell I want!"

He got off my hood. "Where is this place even located?"

Oh shit, I forgot to ask Nabiki before. I could just phone her and ask, but that would take time.

It was time for the Akane-lie-o-matic Version 1.0 to come into play.

"Oh, we're very independent." I rolled my eyes. "you know what I mean, eh?"

A smile started to peek up over his disapproving face. "You don't know where it is, do you?"

He pulled me close, wrapping his fingers around my sides and felt up and down a bit. I stared up at him and he smiled resigned.

"Why can't I obsess over someone more normal?"

I shrugged. "I'm hotter?"

He shrugged back, gave me a quick grin, and pulled me even tighter to him.

I pushed my face right next to his. "Or maybe you're just fucked up, like that."

"Yeah," he muttered, "let's go with that one."

Then he kissed me deeper than I would've expected, hands exploring and I felt it in my feet.

I broke away for air. "What the hell are you doing?"

He stepped back a bit. "Honestly, I'm really not sure anymore."

I rolled my eyes. "Stop looking like you're thinking, you only have two things on your mind all day long: sex, and food."

He took a few more steps back, and just before a corner, said "Don't forget about catching bad guys."

Then he disappeared. He helped me get away from Creepy Marv, and then just left. What is wrong with that man?

'Yeah," I yelled after him, "I bet you only do it for the chicks!"

He obviously couldn't hear, but I felt my immense smart comments would seep through in waves of awesome.

I decided it was time to get a gun. At least, a weapon of some sort. My friend Marjorie told me she had this obsessive guy following her home from work every now and then and once she got sick of him tailing her she went into a hardware store and bought some mace. Turns out the guy was a cop and Marjorie had been doing some illegal things on the side, but the general idea was nice. I just needed to find a hardware store.

I hopped into my baby and let 'er rip. I got to the nearest hardware store, 5th and Okino and just past a doughnut shop, and waltzed in. That would be my next destination.

It was big. Not IKEA big, but large enough to house a senator or two.

Everything was painted orange to make the place livelier, but I thought it just made it look like a pumpkin threw up everywhere.

After twenty minutes of finding absolutely nothing I clicked my heels in a last effort, closed my eyes tight, and started muttering, "there's no place like mace." If it worked for Dorothy, it could work for me.

"Um, excuse me Miss?" A voice outside of my head quivered.

I felt a soft tap on my shoulder and blinked open my eyes. "Toto?"

The man smiled. "How'd you know?"

I stared down at his name tag, "Toto" in blue inside a white circle on the orange jumpsuit he wore.

Interesting coincidence.

"I peeked." I lied. Damn, I was getting good at that.

He grinned even wider, losing a bit of the ever present shakiness of his hands.

"Sorry," he muttered, "I'm sorta new."

"I just got a new job too." I told him.

Well, I sort of did, right? Any way, it made the poor kid feel better and that was all that mattered.

"Cool, whatcha lookin' for?" He asked, warming up to me a bit. I hoped he didn't think things were going to get too warm.

"Mace. Pepper spray, you know? Anything like that. Oh do you guys sell handcuffs?" I asked all at once.

I stopped for a second and back tracked. Man, I must've sounded deranged.

Toto laughed nervously, starting to shake a bit again. "Did the guys put you up to this? I swear I know all the departments better than them, they don't have to test me, I promise."

I turned to the poor guy. "Toto, would they really send someone like me?

He shrugged. "What are the cuffs for, you a stripper or something?"

My face turned red. "No! No, I am _not_ a stripper, damn it!"

"Oh well," he said, "you could always change careers. What's your new job."

He had stuffed his hands in his pockets and I didn't mind some human contact.

"I'm a bounty hunter. See, my friend was killed a couple years ago, and now some guys are after me because they think I'm working for my sister. Wait, maybe they think I am my sister. Frightening thought. Anyway, my ten year high school reunion is coming up and my ex-fiancé is here now, hotter and more dangerous than before, and I think he's killed people. Anyway, he's here and sort of helping me out. He's got this great friend that I hung out with. Then there's another ex of mine that's kinda of on the side of law now I suppose and he doesn't seem to believe I can even do this, and I ran him up a tree and he still has the same amount of crazy hormones he always did. Plus, my work is trying to kill me for minimum wage."

I wiped my forehead and let out a sigh. It felt good to share.

Toto just stood there, wide eyed and confused. "Wait, are you Akane Tendo?"

I tensed. "Why? Do you know me, know one of them, or want to kill me?"

He laughed again, hanging his head back. "No, I've just heard of you and, realistically, it didn't sound like you could be anyone else."

I nodded, too dumbfounded to speak.

"Couldn't be anyone else?" I finally asked.

"Nope," he smiled, "that explains everything. Now come on, let's go get you some bear mace!"

A/N: So, I'm going to start carving out characters and plot and such more fluidly. Oh, and get ready for a chapter with Jin's point of view. I don't know if I'll do it next chapter or the one after. Anyway, sorry for the long wait, but school is the devil. Luckily, not as many people DQ it up during the winter so I'll have more time to write.

kachan: Well, sharing make the world go round, right?

Shinigami: I doubt Kei's the type to explain things in a civilized manor, eh?

Achava: Excellent, kick ass was definitely what I was going for.

Lady Mokodane: Muahaha, you love Ranma's competition, my job is complete!

Jace3: Vicar, a reference to something in their past? Why would you ever think that. . .

Motokonobaka: Yeah, I was eating a crepe as I wrote and I just love them so much it crept into my writing. I'm pretty freakin' cool.

Innortal: Oh, I'll leave some things for later on.

Ikerana: Yeah, it was hard not to flat out say first chapter it wasn't them, but it's nice to add a little wonder to it. Plus, you never know with Ranma.

Lisiegirl: Yup, it's based on the series and a little on Grosse Pointe Blank. It's a different story, but I like certain elements from both and they are the inspirations for this story.

WhiteTigress666: Yes, the poor Vicar doesn't know what he's in for at Sunday service, eh?

JohnnyG: Thanks so much! I hope you keep on reading!

Please read and review, it brings me eternal youth so I don't have to suck the youth out of others. So by doing so, you're saving lives (and it's fun too).


	14. She Was Red Hot

Is this a place I can rest my poor head  
To gather my thoughts in sweet silence  
Is this a place where the feelings aren't dead  
From an overexposure to violence  
And is this a place I can slowly face  
The only one I truly can know

These are tears from a long time ago  
I got these tears from a long time ago  
I need to cry 30 years or so  
These are tears from a long time ago

JOHN HIATT lyrics - "Thirty Years Of Tears"

* * *

It was fate I was on that plane, sitting next to Ranma, ripping out my hair and feeling like quite the screwball. Hell, if I would have been in better shape I never would have gotten where I am today. Ranma probably would have killed me on the plane for being too cheery. It was never really a physical attraction I felt to Ranma, we were immediately brothers. It was weird though, feeling so close to someone you only heard of in legends of your school. We were in the same grade and didn't know a real thing about each other.

Until that night, it had suited us fine.

I have asked him more than a couple times about what was going through his head when we decided to start the journey to where we are today. He told me bubbles were to blame. Somehow, it kind of made sense at the time. Of course, we were both knackered and undeniably depressed.

We were meant for a painting, his staring out into the aisle, lit up only by the tiny string of lights embedded in the aisle sides, and me, staring out the window into the darkness before us. We had our tuxedos on, bow tie and regular tie undone and hanging from our necks lazily.

We never did need to say much to each other. Neither of us boys had ever had a real friend. Shadow friends that what we had had that were never there for us when we needed them. Ranma once told me it took him seventeen years to figure out I was his best friend and that he was sorry he was so late. I told him I was too busy before anyway.

We joke about it, but it was, truthfully, an act of desperation. We were the last ones for each other and, surprisingly enough, the best. We know each other better than we know ourselves

It's a funny thing to know a man better than himself.

Of course, there was a third to this family. She was beautiful and charming and terrified of anything that stood still. We were a trinity of friendship, of love and devotion, and we knew each other better than a scientist with a microscope. I could never forgive myself for letting her die that day, the thought of it makes my stomach wrench and makes me want to throw up all the bad things in the world. That was probably the most disgusting metaphor I have ever imagined, seems my mind is going to the birds lately.

"In England, birds are girls. I am _definitely_ a girl from England, a 'byrd', I could never stay in one place for too long, could I?" She had asked one night, sitting with me under a blanket and watching 'The Log' on channel three.

I had smirked. "You should've been born caveman, they were nomads."

She gave me a nasty expression and poked me in the side, under the blanket. "Raw dinosaur probably didn't taste very good."

"Raw dinosaur? What are you, drunk?" I asked, staring at her with a mach-conniving face on.

She snorted when she laughed at my expression and banged her fists on the couch to illustrate. That was about the time we both fell off into a heap on the floor.

"Jin boy," she had asked, in all seriousness and with a slightly faded look on her face, "do you think I'll ever see him again? I see him when I dream, you know, every night, I do. When you truly love someone, when you find that one and you lose them and you're dumb about it and do something stupid like kill a guy and fuck things up a bit, it haunts you."

She stared at the television and her eyes filled.

"Sometimes I dream he has a wife, and he won't remember my name when I go to his door and open my arms to him. Then he'll tell me I'm dreaming and I'll wake up with the doubt, the doubt's the worst part."

She stared down at the hardwood floor, holding her arms in front of her chest and wrapped her knees up to her chin under the blanket.

"You're a lot less mysterious then you try to pull off." I told her, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear.

She warmed to me and rested her head in my chest and closed her eyes. "Tell me about the world, tell me everything is wonderful, and don't leave once I fall asleep."

She paused to nudge her head a bit, finding a safe spot to sleep and hear my heartbeat, she murmured. "Lie to me, Jin dai, tell me something I don't know. Please."

I stared at the log network and smiled sadly into her hair. "Well, sex is like shampoo commercials, and laundry detergent really does smell good for five whole days after it's washed. Plus, there's the world being at peace with each other, there's no racism, and everyone loves everyone else. The line between good and bad isn't hazy and the good of heart always win. People always marry the one they love, and divorce isn't necessary. Lawyers don't chase ambulances, they bring flowers and trials are never needed because everyone is only hurt in accidents. No one dies unhappily and people live to find their true love and it lasts forever. Greed is disregarded as myth and people live in theme parks for free. The ice cream shop never closes right before you get there and mall hours are flexible, so are work schedules for that matter. Best friends really do last forever, and cold nights are always accompanied with hot chocolate and lots of marshmallows. Mostly though, there are no allergies and people put their coats down over puddles for strangers."

She fell asleep to that, and for a second, I felt at home.

Now she's dead and I'm standing outside of a tailor's shop and wringing my worn out paper in my hands.

I didn't come here for a suit or anything, quite the opposite of business actually. My father is sitting at a desk in there, probably with his thick glasses on and his faded plaid shirts, reading the paper or something mundane like that. I'll try not to give him a heart attack when I go in.

Ten years can do a lot to a man. Hell, it _made_ one out of me. The scared, scarred, and confused boy who got on that plane was dead now. Part of the reason I came back, the selfish side of my reasons, was to go back to that day and accept it. To start from there and maybe not screw things up so much all over again.

When Ranma mentioned quitting a couple days ago it was weird, I sort of felt like if he wasn't joking he was betraying me. It was our future together, and stopping that I'd have no choice but to go back to this.

The shop was brown and the door was white with a blue sign on the door reading 'Mako Family Tailors'. I strolled up to the door, up two steps made of grey concrete and saw where my name was still scratched in the pavement. I bent down and ran my fingers over the curves of it, closing my eyes and remembering the hot sun on my face that day, the cool breeze, and the laughing voices. My father came over and saw it and I remember thinking he was going to kill me for it. He noticed and smiled, "Now everyone will know you are my son."

That was probably the last time he was ever proud of me.

I stepped up to the door.

Give me a shoot out with thirty gunned gangsters from the slums of Miami. Give me the most dangerous, bullet ridden man to body guard to the death. Give me a dollar a year and a bullet in my leg. Give me anything but whatever sat behind that desk. Give me death, or worse, seven year old McDonalds.

My hand was shaking as I turned the knob on the door and bit my lip. Suck it up Jin; you've been through much more. Besides, the chance of him pulling a gun on you is less likely than the average day, hopefully.

I sucked in a breath, pushed my way through and shut the door behind me, hearing the _ding_ of the bell go off in the back. They hadn't changed.

Then I saw him and everything in me froze. You know those moments in life where you are caught between the past and the present tense and you don't know whether you're ahead or behind and it's just not the right time to go forward _or_ back? So you just stand there, like an idiot, and think about how you didn't actually think this happened to people and that your jaw had actually, literally, dropped a few minutes ago and wasn't that funny.?

Times that by a million.

I didn't know whether to cough, or walk up, pull down his paper, and punch him in the face; both seemed quite realistic at the moment. I decided on the less lethal one considering I came to solve problems, not end up on another plane out of here.

I started slowly walking forward, across the ten feet to his desk. There was a bell in front of him and I decided to press it out of curiosity. It _ting_ed and I jumped back a bit at the volume of it. My father put his paper down and slowly moved for his glasses.

"What can I do for you, Sir?" He asked.

Who reads the paper without glasses?

My mouth dropped again. He was so old, his eyes were bulgy, and his face drooped a bit. He was bald except for a bit on each side right above his ears. He took his glasses, shined them on his faded laid shirt and put them on.

My hands were folded behind my back and I stared at him.

He turned to me and suddenly he was tight lipped.

"H-h-Hi Dad." I whispered through heavy breath.

It felt like my throat was closing in on itself.

He stared back at me. "Who are you to call me that?"

I sank a little. "Dad, it's me Jin, your son." I quipped, smiling nervously.

Wow, I didn't think I looked _that_ different.

He stared back, pure hatred in his eyes. "My son died ten years ago, why say such things?"

He was so calm.

"Dad, it's really me. Wow, have I really changed that much? Jeez, is it the hair? Bit wacky, I know, but very popular in Paris. So, how's Mom?" I asked, in the span of two seconds, digging my hands in my pockets with the exception of the brief period one spent in my hair.

He tapped the side of his glasses. "You lie."

I scoffed, this was getting old. "Why would I? Who would want to even be here today?"

His mouth dropped a bit. "Well, any other son would not disgrace their father like that, it must be you."

I laughed nervously. His gaze was burning me and I couldn't keep eye contact.

"Why are you not dead?" He asked coldly.

I stared back at him, gaping. "I'm sorry you haven't lost a son dad, wow, if I'd have known you wanted me dead I would have stabbed myself years ago."

"Sarcasm is the hand of the devil." He muttered. "Although, you must know plenty of that."

I winced at that. "Listen, I'm sorry I didn't call or anything, but you _did _disown me."

He picked up his paper again. "You said outrageous things."

This pissed me off a lot; I had not said anything wicked that night.

"I said I was gay, Dad. What, still can't bear it? Why ya putting your paper up? Think that'll change things, do ya?" I taunted, my voice rising with every syllable, my heart beating through my chest. I could feel my pulse, my blood was boiling, and I could feel tears on my face.

He threw it down, his eyes ablaze, and he shot his finger out at me. He looked frail; angry, but frail.

No matter if he became a vegetable, he still had so much power over me.

"**Get** **out! Get out of my store!**" He roared, shaking and trembling with anger.

I stared back, heart still pounding, chest burning, and nose running.

"Fine! See if I fucking care you homophobic prick! You're an asshole, you know that? I hate you, I hate you so much I could kill you, I could kill you in a second but you're not worth a bullet. Not worth a fucking bullet to me! Ya hear that, old man? Hear that? **Not a fucking bullet!**"

That asshole, with his patience and his pride, he was dead to me again.

Why did I even decide to come back here? This man was not going to change.

I swirled around and stormed out.

It had taken all my effort not to pull my gun on him and that scared me more than a bit.

* * *

A/N: So shorter, sadder chapter this time around. Sorry about the swears and all. Next one will be Ranma's POV. I've got a quarter done already and it will probably be posted in about a week or two.

Kachan: thanks!

Rio Grande: Yes, unite! She rocks so many socks. I'm glad you want to read the next chapter and I hope you like the way it unfolds!

lisiegirl: I was trying to explain that he can love lots of things and it doesn't mean as much to him as it used to. I cannot wait to write about Akane going out and getting perps!

Ikerana: I'm so sorry but I'm glad you didn't abandon it! Don't worry; I've just been swamped by school and evil computers that break down more than a pinto.

Motokonobaka: Thanks so much for hangin' in there! Oh, the bashing, so much fun!

WhiteTigress666: Thanks, yeah I really hope it goes okay. Poor Jin, though.

Lady Mokodone: Yes! Yeah, but just wait for Ranma's ultra sexy side to show. The confrontation will be magnificent, eh?

JohnnyG: Thanks, you're so awesome to review every chapter. You rock!

Read and review and I'll sing you a song. . . over the internet!


	15. I Mean She Was Steamin'

One child grows up to be

Somebody that just loves to learn

And another child grows up to be

Somebody you'd just love to burn

Mom loves the both of them

You see it's in the blood

Both kids are good to Mom

Blood's thicker than mud

It's a family affair

--Family Affair by Sly and the Family Stone

* * *

When I knocked on the door, I didn't expect the runt to be there in place of my mother. The runt never even crossed my mind. Well, that was a lie, he _had_ crossed my mind, but I had decided it was a dream.

Unfortunately, that four foot tall dream was scowling at me at the moment and I had no clue how to deal with this.

I decided to use my natural tact to diffuse the situation.

"So, how was ballet, meet any other girls to be best-friends-forever with?" I smirked, folding my arms across my chest.

The kid squeezed the door knob. "Shut up! You're a freak! Why're ya here again?"

"Geez, ya always speak in fragments, Runt?" I asked.

The kid jumped at me, growling through clenched teeth. I had to smile. He jumped to conclusions, fought first, and didn't like to talk about his short comings; one hundred percent Saotome.

"Stop moving, I gotta pulverize you!" He squaked, punching at the air I had left several seconds before.

"Not a lotta incentive for me to stop then, is it?" I asked, watching the little guy stall.

"Fine." He crossed his arms and walked over to the couch. "When Mom comes home she's gonna be maaaad. You're here so I guess I can't go to my jewelry making class. Darn, shoot, dag nab it all." The kid moaned, in the worst fake-upset voice I had ever heard.

I walked in, closed the door behind me and dug my hands into my pockets. The hallway was small and had hard wood floors. That family picture still alluded me but wasn't of as much consequence as last time.

Considering one member was dead I figured it was a little outdated.

I walked into the living room and threw myself down on the comfy pale orange couch. It was a three cushioned blob that sat at about a foot on each leg off the floor.

"Nice sofa." I quipped, hearing the short coils creak under my weight.

"Psh, careful ya don't break it, fatty." The squirt said from the door jamb with enough venom to tranquilize a small horse. His arms were crossed over his tiny chest and it was obvious he had not gone through a growth spurt or two yet.

"Sorry, didn't hear ya, maybe I couldn't hear over all the _suck_ in your voice." I snipped back, smirking.

His face was cross and he walked over, with much ceremony, seeming to use as much restraint as possible and sat down next to me. He was about a ruler away on the high couch and still has his short arms wrapped protectively across his chest. He pouted and furrowed and tried his best to look angry until his mother would come rushing in the door and slam me in the face with a pot. Sadly, his fidgety nature, adopted by all true Saotomes, held true and he dropped the act for something different a few minutes later.

He kept his arms folded and stared at the television screen opposite us in silence.

Now, I'm not really a man for silence. I used to be afraid of it, embraced it for a little while, and now silence and I are just friends, acquaintances really. At this point I wanted to say _something_ until the old lady came home and I could talk to her aboutsomething else.

I stared at the twerp, looking down and noticing my own arms folded.

"What're ya wearin' your gi for, Runt, got practice or somethin'?" I gruffly asked.

I didn't even expect the kid to answer. It just felt good to have something beingput out there. My voice kind of resonated through the empty house.

I would _not_ resign to talking about the weather. That is the plague of conversation and makes it obvious you don't truly care what you are talking about.

So it surprised me very much when he looked to me, with passion in his eyes, and told me. "I'm afraid if I take it off Mom won't let me be a martial artist anymore."

I raised a brow. "What're ya, an idiot?"

The Runt made no sense at all; why would he even think something as dumb as that?

Still, the kid looked pretty sincere.

He hugged his arms tighter to his chest. "Whatever, never mind, jerk."

I don't know why, but at this moment I felt sort of close to the little guy. Sure, we didn't really have a lot in common, except blood, but martial arts bound us closer than anything else. I understood what he would do for the art. Hell, I changed sexes for it.

"Naw, c'mon kid, um, sorry?" I said, pretty weakly, but still a Saotome sorry; those are worth a thousand words.

He stared back up at me, with a gleam of jealous rage in his eyes.

"Mom says Dad and you lived on the road. Mom says you guys left her behind. Well, she don't want me leavin' her so she figures if she cuts out what made ya leave, I'll stick around." He spat with hatred and confusion. "Why'd ya have to leave her? Now, I gotta stay forever. I'm even in girly stuff like ballet and junk."

He slunk back in the sofa cushion and coughed. I smirked, the kid was annoying but kind of cute.

I relaxed into the cushions too, kicking up my heels and yawning. Therunt peeked over his nose at what I was doing and copied with a bigger kick and a louder yawn. His feet didn't even reach the floor.

"I dunno, ballet doesn't sound too bad." I said.

"Oh yeah?"

"Yeah, I mean, ya got good balance and junk, right?" I asked, inching a bit closer to hear him better.

"Yeah totally." He bragged, inching a bit closer so that we were only a little too distanced to be brothers.

"Plus, I bet ya look _so_ cute in a tutu, eh?" I said in the highest voice I could, staring down at the kid with a huge smirk on my face.

He tried to get mad but the familiar grin came across his face.

"Shut yer trap, I'm the man of the house." He tried to sound fearful but gave up and started laughing.

I punched him in the shoulder and he punched back and in a second we were in a rag tag wrestling match. I grabbed him by the scruff of his shirt and gave him the biggest noogie, maybe the only one, of his life. He fought back by grabbing my nose, while in headlock, and pulling it hard, hollering "Got yer nose! Got yer nose!" at the top of his lungs, giggling like only kids can pull off.

Finally it got too much and we wrestled completely off the couch. He fell on top of me and, in a move that I still can't quite depict as an accident or on purpose, he fell after me and jabbed an elbow into my ribcage.

He let out a big breath and toppled back on the floor. "I look awesome in a tutu, all the girls in my class phone all the time. I tell Mom they just wanna practice pirroettes, but I'm totally lyin'."

I grinned from ear to ear and mussed his shaggy hair. "Why, ya little scoundrel. Your a regular Casanova."

He tilted his head, confused. "A casa-what-a?"

I grabbed him and grabbed the little guy. "A lady's man. I can help ya get all the girl ya want. I'm actually pretty amazing in that department. It's a Saotome curse."

He nodded and snorted.

I leaned in and held my hand in front of my mouth. "Plus, it's the Saotome blessing."

He beamed from ear to ear and punched me square in the face. I recoiled for a second and grinned like a mad man, rubbing my cheek.

"Oh you're getting' it now, Runt."

And that's how I found my brother.

* * *

In all my life, relationships had normally taken a long time to develop. It was not even until the last few years of my life I even understood my father as a participant in my life. Everyone came, went, and sometimes returned for once last hoorah. I never got too close to many people, I didn't know my own mother at all.

With a select few, though, I let my guard slide down and wither away and, in their place, I would let the new people in. This happened with Jin on the plane, Kit in a matter of seconds, and with my brother, Tommy. It was weird; he was so foreign, even his name was Western. She was really trying to get away from all that was traditional.

I stayed with him, talking about anything we could think of, not one lull in the conversation, until my mother came home and, with a stern look on her face, asked just what I thought I was doing.

Truth is, no matter how undeniably gorgeous and rich I was, I didn't have a clue where I was headed. The reunion was still a week or two away and I still didn't know if I was taking the fair maiden I squandered last time. There was only one chance for Cinderella, but I was no fairy following chick; I could be flexible, in more ways than one.

So with a shrug of my shoulders, and a tug on my sleeve, my brother Tommy, I'll never get used to the name, pleaded and whined until my mother caved and let me stay for dinner.

"I wanna sit next to you, Ranma. We can share peas." Tommy told me, blinking hisbest puppy dog eyes.

I poked the bugger between the eyes and raised an eyebrow. "Nice try Twerp, but I ain't takin' your stinkin' peas."

He jumped at me and we started fighting again. He pulled my hair, I growled, and my mother sighed, deep and low.

"Well, there goes the neighborhood." She muttered. She wrung out the dish cloth in her hands until it was dryer than a desert, but kept a stern smile on.

Oh Mom, how I love thee.

My mother had two ways of dealing with things; she would either get mad or try to be as sweet as possible and strike when you least expected it. She also enjoyed water works.

I had always been a sucker for a girl with tears in her Bambi eyes. Just last year I was doing a simple bounty mission on this French guy's boat and the waitress he brought along as 'company' wouldn't take "I'm not gonna shoot ya" for an answer. She kept whining and pleading for her life while Jin and I just sat there and stared at Frenchy in disbelief. If you could take one chick on the road, after running a pretty large bounty, why the hell would ya ever take a whiner like that? That's the problem with relationships, there's always something. We took off the tape on his mouth to ask him just that.

"She's got a good rack." He shrugged.

"Good enough for me." Jin quipped.

This response only set the girl off again. Thank goodness for the extra tape.

Dinner at the Saotome residence had changed. It was going to beodd; sitting at a table just the three of us. There wasno one jumping in with some refreshing and dangerous news of another catastrophe. My mother didn't break out the fine china for my return. She cooked and prepared as Tommy and I sat on the couch.

Here's the thing; we did nothing. We seriously sat there, couch potatoes, rubbing our grumbling stomachs and staring at some television show selling knives that could be substitutes for saws. Tommy was upside down, resting his body on the couch and his head, staring at the upside down television, on the floor.

His feet kicked up at me and I swatted them away and let out some low growls. I ran my fingers through my hair and closed my eyes for a second. The smell of the home cooked meal, at a real home with family, felt like a dream.

I looked over to the open kitchen and saw my mother stirring a pot of something delicious and staring straight at me.

I heard the faint snore of my sleeping brother and grinned.

"What is it Mom?" I asked. I scratched the back of my head and half laughed, not knowing what else to do.

She kept staring, unfazed by anything I did. She broadened her smile.

"It's good to see you, Ranma." She said, turning back to her soup.

She didn't notice my stare linger. This acceptance was remarkable. The fine lines she had acquired mapped her face and her years perfectly. She had laughed a bit, cried a little more, and had been out in the sun a little too much this summer. She looked just like a mother, it was remarkable.

"Uh, Mom?" I coughed, losing my strength.

She turned back to look at me, something I couldn't understandradiating from her eyes. I had to win the rest back, I supposed.

"Ranma, I love you. We may disagree and you might do things I just don't understand. You might join a circus, become a televangelist, eat only bark and bamboo, or wear tin hats and look for Martians, but you will _always_ be my son; even if I do not see you for another ten years after today."

I wanted to hug this woman, this saint. She knew exactly what to say, exactly how to quell the nerves, which had dissipated completely now, and she cradled me in her arms from across the room.

I forgot how nice it felt to be accepted, even if you _were_ a fuck up.

"Thanks, um, I, uh, well . . ." I trailed off, scratching my head again.

She laughed quietly to herself. "It's my fault you can't say it."

My face went bright red. The woman could read me like a Dick and Jane book.

She radiated another three hundred watt smile at me. "You can't lie to me though, Ranma, so I know by how you walk, since your first steps, and by how your features contort, since I warned you for the first time that your face would stick that way if you stuck out your tongue, and by your actions. I know that you love me too."

It really hit me then. The majesty I had created, the terrible reckoning I was expecting was a mirage. This whole self destruction thing in general; it was a hoax. This utter acceptance had broken down barriers I didn't think were even there.

She had forgiven me.

I started to think about things that hadn't mattered for years; terrible, beautiful things. I regretted leaving; that was one of the best and worst things I had ever done. I wanted to hug her, wanted to explain why I couldn't tell her I would die for my family, and that my pride was too much for me sometimes. I wanted to explain that I had missed her so much over the years, and when I was surrounded by obstacles, flesh or inanimate, I thought of how nice it would be to just lose for once.

I kept my mouth shut though. I kept my eyes dry. I kept myself guarded.

I wasn't ready for the whole shebang yet, the feeling of ultimate truth in my stomach was really getting to me. That or I was _really_ hungry.

"I'm sorry for abandonin' everybody, I owe ya one." I muttered, staring up at her expectantly, feeling about four.

She put down her whisk, walked across the room,stepping from hardwood to carpet, and stopped right in front of me. She grasped my head in her hands, squeezed my cheeks, and kissed me on the forehead.

"You're still a little boy, aren't you?" She stated more than asked.

I looked up at her; the wrinkles adorning her similar features were proud medals of motherhood.

I gazed at her in silence, both of us trying to make up the time and tragedy we had missed. Her other son; draped over the sofa carelessly, asleep and dreaming of dragon fights and ninjas. Her apron; frayed at the edges and the border singed by an abrasive soufflé of the past. I looked up at the woman that had given me life, and just now, given it to me again. She didn't even have to say much, she just had to tell me it was okay, that _I_ was okay.

I heard a grunt from the floor and a loud crash. "Ugh, oh hey Ma, dinner ready?"

* * *

A/N: I wonder if any one of you guys will guess where the story will go next. Probably, hopefully, it will be smooth. Oh, and the next chapter will be all Ranma and Akane, plus a little bit of Ranma's work ethic. You should look forward to it, it's Akane first day on the real new job.

Lady Mokodane: No, that's my fault. I gave a little bit of Jin's charcter, but I didn't really leak out any substance. Thanks for re-reading you rock my socks! Yes, all those elements you mentioned will be present next chapter.

WhiteTigress666: Thanks so much, yeah I was worried it was a little too serious, but I really didn't care about that considering this is what I had planned since the start. There will be much more into that as well as everything else in Jin's life.

Achava: Aw, thanks, yeah his Dad is a real jerk, eh?

Rio Grande: Sorry for making it confusing, I'll try to explain it better and re vamp. Awesome idea for Ukyo though, maybe you should try it out as a story yourself!

Lisiegirl: This chapter wasn't as much "funny" as I had hoped but I'm really pumped for the next chapter.

JohnnyG: As always, thanks for the wicked feedback..

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Review or I'll steal all your paper clips (it may not seem like a lot but just wait). 


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